Another Surprise

Child of Peace - Another Surprise

“SANGO, MIROKU, KAEDE, THEY’RE COMING,” Shippo yelled as he ran toward Kaede’s hut

Miroku and Sango jerked their heads to the side, turning their attention to the yelling kitsune (fox) approaching.

“Miroku, act natural,” Sango said hurriedly starting to run around.  That was a BAD move, Sango!  Sango thought as Miroku groped her backside.

‘SLAP’

“Damnit, the perverted monk is at it again.  We’d better hurry before they both kill each other.”

“Mmm, hmm!”

Before Kagome knew what hit her, InuYasha picked her up, once again, bridal style, and made his way toward Kaede’s Village.  He stopped immediately before reaching Kaede’s hut.  InuYasha put Kagome down as they stared in awe at yet another surprise baby shower.  This time, not even InuYasha was a part of the plan.

(A/N:  When InuYasha took the shower gifts back to Kaede’s hut, he was unaware of any of the preparation of the surprise baby shower because he was too busy with putting the shower gifts in the hut.  Now, back to the story.)

“SURPRISE!!!” Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kaede exclaimed.

“KAGOME!!!” Shippo exclaimed as he ran over to Kagome and hugged her leg.

“What’s this…?”Kagome asked, eyes wide open as she choked back tears, “A surprise baby shower?  For me?”

“Ay, child,” Kaede replied, ”I am so happy for the two of ye.”

“Thank you, Kaede…everyone,” Kagome said hugging each of her near and dear friends with utmost gratitude.

“The shower’s for InuYasha too, “ Sango said receiving a hug from Kagome.

“Where’s Nozomi (Hope) and Yorokobi (Joy)?” Kagome asks while Sango helps her sit down on the shrine’s steps.

“They’re taking their afternoon nap,” Sango replied smiling.

“Oh!  Well, at least that gives us some quiet time to talk,” Kagome said sighing.

“Yeah, it will be a good time to catch up,” Sango replied.

“Kagome, would you like to open your presents now?” Shippo exclaimed.

“Sure, Shippo.”

“I’ll go and get them then,” Shippo said running into Kaede’s hut.  Soon Shippo came back holding a basket full of gifts for InuYasha and Kagome.  He then handed Kagome a piece of paper.

“Why don’t you open these, InuYasha?” Kagome smiled handing him the piece of paper, ”After all, I opened most of the presents given to us in my time, so it’s only fair to let you open the gifts we receive in your time.”

“Really?”

“Mmm hmm.” Kagome replied smiling.

InuYasha examined the piece of paper from all angles, trying to figure out what Shippo had given them.  “What’s this, Kid?” InuYasha asked waving it in front of Shippo’s face.

“It’s a card I made,” Shippo replied puffing out his small chest with pride, “Would you like me to read it to you guys?”

“Uhh…?”

“Sure, Shippo.”

“To Kagome and InuYasha (parents-to-be),

May the days ahead bring you sunshine and your nights filled with endless twinkling stars.
And may the new baby bring happiness to you as you brought to me.

~ Shippo”

“Thank you, Shippo.  That was lovely.  Did you make the card yourself?” Kagome asked wiping a tear from her cheek.

“Well…mostly, with a little help from Sango and Kaede.”

“It was touching, thank you.”

“Yeah Kid, thanks,” InuYasha commented patting the kitsune on the head.

“There’s something else, but…it’s not done yet.”

“Oh?  Can we see it?”

Shippo reached his little hand into the very bottom of the basket and pulled out another piece of paper.  He then handed it to InuYasha, who took it hesitantly from the kitsune.  After looking at the unfinished drawing, InuYasha blushed a dark shade of pink and handed it to Kagome.  Kagome stared in awe as she looked down at a colored drawing of her, InuYasha holding the baby, Kaede, Shippo, Sango holding Nozomi, and Miroku holding Yorokobi.

“Why do you say it isn’t done, Shippo?” Kagome asked looking up from the drawing.

“Because I don’t know if it is a boy or a girl.” Shippo replied.

Silence fell upon the group of friends, until Kagome decided to break the silence.

“Hey, Sango?”

“Hmm?”

“I’d like to show you something later, if that is ok with you?”

“Sure,” Sango replied smiling, while keeping an extra careful eye on Miroku, afraid that he might grope her again since their children were napping.

Shippo then placed the basket in front of Kaede, who took out a present wrapped in aged yellow-orange fabric and handed it to InuYasha.  He unwrapped the fabric to reveal a rosary necklace.  InuYasha just looked at Kaede with a frightened, yet angry expression.

“Is this a joke, old woman?”

Kagome started to giggle.

“No, InuYasha the rosary ye hold is not like the one ye wear.  It is just a rosary for thy son or daughter to wear,” Kaede explained to InuYasha.

“Uhh…Kaede…?” Kagome started to ask removing the delicate fabric from InuYasha’s hands, “Is this…a kimono?”

“Ay, child.  It was once my kimono.  I thought if ye had a girl she could wear it.  If not, you can save it until the two of ye have a girl.”

“ANOTHER KID!?!?!?  Are you out of your mind, old woman?  One’s enough!” InuYasha exclaimed.

“INUYASHA!!!  We haven’t even had our first child yet, and you are already stopping at THAT???” Kagome exclaimed back not too happy with InuYasha previous statement.

“Well…yeah…?”

“Well, you CERTAINLY didn’t ask MY opinion about stopping at ONE child!!!”

“Well, fine then.  Kagome, do YOU want to have more children?”

“I’d like to have at least ONE more!!!”

“Well, you can’t do that without ME now, can you???”

“No, I CAN’T.  But at least YOU don’t have to carry a seven to nine pound baby in your stomach for MONTHS!!!  Get sick every FIVE minutes!!!  Have DISGUSTING stretch marks all over your stomach that will probably NEVER GO AWAY!!!  Go through HOURS of labor in AGONIZING PAIN!!!  THEN have to give BIRTH to the baby, which is like pushing a watermelon through a STRAW!!!”

“Well, YOU don’t have to put up with ANNOYING mood swings every FIVE minutes!!!”

Kagome’s face was now red with anger she crossed her arms, “You want to ‘SIT’ down and think about that last statement again?”

InuYasha was pulled down to the ground by the necklace around his neck, “Yes?” InuYasha replied with a mouthful of dirt.

“Ahem…When you guys are done arguing, can Miroku and I give you our present?” Sango said reaching in the basket, in front of Kaede, and pulled out the remaining package and handed it to Kagome.  As soon as InuYasha recovered from Kagome’s ‘sit’ command, he seated himself next to Kagome once more.  Kagome then handed InuYasha the package.  When he opened it there were two pairs of baby cloths.

“Thank you, Sango, Miroku, Kaede, Shippo.  Your gifts and your friendship mean the world to us,” Kagome said after looking at the adorable little baby cloths InuYasha held.

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An hour had passed since InuYasha and Kagome had opened their gifts.  They had all eaten dinner and were resting by the fire in front of Kaede’s hut.  Sango was off feeding Yorokobi, Miroku and Kagome were playing with Nozomi, Shippo and InuYasha watched, and Kaede tended to the dinner’s dishes.  A few minutes later Sango came out of her and Miroku’s hut, not too far near-by, burping Yorokobi.

“Kagome, didn’t you say you had something to show me?” Sango asked.

“Oh yeah!  I’ll go get it.”

Kagome got up and walked into Kaede’s hut and reemerged a moment later carrying her baby book.

“Here Miroku, can you hold her for a few minutes?” Sango said handing the baby to Miroku and then walked over to Kagome.

They both sat on the stairs to Kaede’s hut and admired the baby book.

“Here it is,” Kagome said pointing to the sonogram picture, “In our time we…”

“Miroku, DON’T even think about teaching Nozomi any of your LETCHERY!!!  Now, as you were saying, Kagome?”

“Well, in my time they are able to take pictures of the baby before it is even born.”

“Really?  Fascinating!  If they are able to look inside of you to take pictures of your baby, are they also able to determine the sex of the baby?”

“Yes.”

“Did you find out the gender of your baby?”

Kagome looked down to the ground with shame.  “I did.”

“What did they say?” Sango asked enthusiastically.

“Please, Sango, keep it down.”

“Why?”

“I did find out what the sex of the baby is, but…I didn’t tell InuYasha.”

“Oh.  What is it?”

“A girl,” Kagome whispered, almost silently into Sango’s ear.

“How wonderful, Kagome,” Sango whispered, “Why haven’t you told InuYasha?”

“I thought he would want it to remain a surprise, and the fact that I found out without asking him first…I’m so ashamed.”

“It’s ok, Kagome,” Sango said massaging Kagome’s back while Kagome cried.

To be continued…

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In the next chapter InuYasha and Kagome further their discussion about having more children, during a moonless night’s walk through the forest.  Stay tuned!