Chapter 688: A Different Time, Part 2
Jorick explained the situation to Katelina in a few words, and she took possession of the phone with a squeal. "It's about time! She's been living there, taking care of you and the kids."
"I am aware," Oren snapped.
"Look, do you want my help or not? There's actually a good article about it in this magazine. Just a second-" He heard pages flipping and then she said, "Here it is. Okay, they have three different proposal types, broken up into steps. Step one is pick the perfect location. The trendy proposal suggests a hot spot, like-"
Jorick interrupted. "Oren is hardly trendy."
"True. Okay, the traditionalist's proposal suggests a romantic vacation. Like Paris. The romantic's proposal suggests choosing a location closer to home, one that means something to the both of you, like where you first met, or where you shared your first kiss." She broke off and cleared her throat. "Or something like that."
Oren sighed. He'd first met Etsuko in Japan. The idea of returning there was hardly appealing. He'd turned her in an airplane in-where was it? Some small mountainous country. And as for the first kiss-that had been in a hotel shortly after in-damn. He couldn't remember what country. Either way, all three were out.
"What's next?" he asked with more impatience than he felt.
"Next they suggest warming her up. The trendy proposal suggests a gift that she's hinted at. The traditionalist's says to give her flowers, and the romantic's says to read her a poem." Katelina paused, as though waiting for him to answer. He had nothing to say, so she went on. "Step three is the proposal itself. They-okay, the trendy one suggest getting your friends to help you perform a song and dance. I think that's out. The romantic suggests playing music, dancing with her, and then dropping to one knee, and the traditionalist suggests putting her ring in her food or drink, but I think that's a bad idea."
"Exceedingly." Oren groaned. He'd assumed this would be complicated, but he'd had no idea how complicated. "Does it have any suggestions about what to say?"
Katelina clicked her tongue, and he imagined her skimming the article. "Um-no. Just more details on all of those ideas, with hints and tips, like to refrigerate the flowers to keep them fresh. Here's a section on buying the perfect ring."
"I have that handled," he said quickly.
"There's also a section about picking the right day, like an anniversary or-"
"Saint Valentine's Day seemed appropriate."
Katelina coughed. "Did you hear that, Jorick? He remembers Valentine's Day! You should call Jorick the day before and remind him about it. Last year-"
"Yes, yes, quite," Oren said quickly. He didn't know what Jorick had done for the couple's second Valentine's Day, and he didn't care. However, Katelina went on.
"-I finally asked and he admitted he completely forgot! Can you believe it? He should have at least lied and said my present was on back order, or taken me for a romantic walk and said that was the plan all along, but nooooo."
"No," Oren agreed impatiently. "Women never like honesty. He should know that by now. Regardless, thank you for your assistance."
"Wait! So which one are you going to do?"
He sighed. Her help had been as un-helpful as possible, but he supposed she'd made an effort. "I haven't decided yet. Thank you. Good night."
He hung up before she could press the issue. He was no nearer to a solution than he'd been when he called.
"Get her a gift," he muttered. "Isn't the ring the gift? The promise of spending your life together with them? Do they need something more to 'soften them up', like a bribe? And poetry? Or Paris?" It sounded extravagant, expensive, and most of all difficult, given their travel limitations. Of course, he could go through The Guild to arrange airplanes and such, but then The Guild would know what he was doing, and where he was going.
Defeated, he stuffed the phone in his pocket and trooped to the house, pausing on the porch to knock the snow from his shoes and clothes. Etsuko had cleaned earlier, and he had had no desire to cause a second round of mopping.
Inside, he set his shoes on the rack and wandered into the living room. Etsuko's chair was empty, her sewing set aside. He frowned at the space, as if he could intimidate the emptiness into producing her.
Something clanked upstairs. He followed the sound to find Etsuko in the doorway of the playroom. When he'd met her, she'd worn only traditional kimonos. Though beautiful, they were complicated to care for or replace. He'd been slowly introducing new clothing into her wardrobe. Though she'd been reluctant at first, she'd come to embrace them, and tonight wore a fuzzy pink sweater with an ankle length black skirt. The sweater hugged her gentle curves, and its soft texture invited a touch.
With the children present, he only laid a hand to her shoulder. She turned her head enough to catch his eyes and smiled before looking back to the boys.
Though they called Jayleth and Paylin twins, their different colored complexions said differently. One had dark skin and tight curly black hair, while the other was a pale brunette. Oren still remembered when they'd found the children, only a year old yet waiting to be fed upon by a vampire queen. Oren's sister had rescued and adopted them. When she'd died, the obligation fell to him.
And to Etsuko, he thought. As an immortal, playing mother to two human children was a burden no one had asked of her, yet she'd cheerfully shouldered it. He'd secretly worried that after a few weeks, or months, she'd realize it was more work than she wanted to do, yet almost two years later, here she was, gazing at them with a mother's pride.
"Jayleth wanted to play house," she murmured, her voice probably too low for the children to hear. "Paylin refused to be the mother."
Oren scoffed. "I don't blame him."
"Perhaps they need a sister?"
Oren choked, and Etsuko chuckled. He swallowed, trying to gauge whether she was serious or not. Now that she was a vampire whose powers had begun to develop, it was harder to read her mind. Not impossible, but she'd detect the effort.
"I hate you reading my mind," the imaginary Jesslynn said. "No woman wants her privacy invaded. Figure it out another way."
As if it was that easy. Finally, he asked, "Where would we find a sister?"
Etsuko's gentle chuckle turned into a full laugh, and she turned toward him. "Oren-sama would know better than I."
He bit his lip, but decided the mirth in her gaze proved the joke. "I would have no idea. And my name is not sama," he added teasingly.
She opened her mouth to give the standard reply, but they both had it memorized. He was her better, not her equal. She could not abandon the title so easily, though she would try if it pleased him.
"It does please me," he said before she could get into it.
"I apologize, Oren." Her accent twisted around the end of the name, as if it felt naked without the honorific. "Is that better?"
The children looked up, suddenly aware of their presence. "Papa!" Jayleth leapt to his feet and rushed them, Paylin on his heels.
Etsuko stepped aside in time for the child to crash into his legs. He swept him up, while Paylin bounced before Etsuko.
Arms around his neck, dark eyes even with Oren's, Jayleth did his best I'm-cute-face. "Papa! Can we have ice cream?"
"Please," Paylin echoed.
Oren looked over the child's curly head. "If your mother says you may."
Etsuko teased the babe in her arms. "And do you deserve ice cream?"
"Okaasan!" Paylin whined.
"All right. Go. But I will serve it."
The children were barely on their feet again before they were gone, racing down the hall, babbling in a mixture of English and Japanese.
"They are almost three," Etsuko said softly. "Soon they will need education."
Oren sighed. Humans grew so quickly. "I've thought about that." She looked at him expectantly, as if to say, "And?" so he added, "Alexander- It was a different time then. Children were often taught at home. Not that there was a choice after he was..." After he was turned. Oren pushed back the memories of the dark eyed child, a child who had never aged, never grown, only stayed perpetually five years old.
"It was necessary," imaginary Jesslynn replied. "Any woman would do the same to save her children. Etsuko would as well."
Oren ignored her. "By the time public schools became standard, Alexander had been a vampire for a hundred years."
Etsuko looked thoughtful. "I was raised by the coven, as you would say, but we were permitted to attend school until after junior high. A few were allowed to continue to high school, if they showed great academic inclination. I did not. After junior high school, I began fulltime training to serve the coven."
Oren didn't like the idea of her being trained as a servant, but she swished his aggravated expression away and added, "For the boys, I think being with their own kind is important. However, they must be carefully trained what to say and what not to say, as we were."
It was a lot to consider - and worry about - and right now he had enough to figure out. "Never mind. We have time to decide. At the moment, you'd best worry about their ice cream."
The bang of a kitchen cabinet punctuated his words. Etsuko bobbed her head and hurried away, though he'd seen the amusement twinkling in her eyes. Even if they tore the house down, he imagined she'd still laugh softly.
Just as Jesslynn would have done with Alexander. All mothers are the same.
