Page 130 of Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate
“It does.” Juuyu lifted her hand and gazed at her over it. “If I am invited.”
“Is that a rule? Jiminy mentioned Ash and Tami, but … do you need to be courted? Is this like Kimiko and Eloquence?”
“You must ask for me if you want me. But I do not require a lengthy courtship with much pageantry. All I require is an appropriately direct question.”
All the other questions Fumiko wanted to ask faded in importance. There would be time to ask them. They would each get their turn. Juuyu was waiting for the question to his answer. So she asked, “Are you mine?”
Zuzu bit her lip.
Fumiko held her breath.
Juuyu bowed so that his forehead touched the back of the hand he still held.
Had she done it wrong? Even Zuzu looked uncertain.
But then Juuyu lifted his face, brushed his lips across her knuckles, and promised, “I am.”
“For all my years?” she pressed.
Zuzu edged closer. “And mine?”
“If not longer.”
As if the future was another vastness. One they would share.
FORTY-FIVE
Breaking Gently
“Where will he be?” asked Jacques.
Akira didn’t exactly have a homing instinct where Suuzu was concerned. “Nearby.”
“Are you being coy? I’m too jetlagged to handle coy.”
“Well, I’m not going to call out. That’d just worry him more.” Akira aimed for the lighthouse. “He’ll be nesting somewhere.”
Uncle Jackie pointed out, “There could be a hundred nests in a tree this size.”
A valid consideration. Akira stopped and quietly called, “Zuzu?”
He was in her arms an instant later. And sprinkled with carefree kisses.
“Zuzu,” he groaned.
Jacques backed up a step. And another. “The tree herself?”
“Y-yeah. Hey, now. Whoa!” Akira tried clumsily to keep up when she twirled with him along the walkway. “Zuzu, what’s gotten into you?”
“Sister kissed him!”
“No kidding?” Akira obligingly asked, “How did that go?”
“He let her!”
“That’s good. She must be happy. And you’re happy.” All her spinning was making him dizzy. “And I’m happy for you, but … umm. Hey, have you met Uncle Jackie?”
Akira found himself summarily abandoned and immediately felt bad. How would Uncle Jackie deal with a beautiful, clingy female?
