Page 40 of The Arrival
Nino crinkles his nose. “Asao swears sometimes.”
“Never in front of Nami,” Haruka affirms.
“Yeah, well, we can’t protect her from ‘bad words’ forever. Who did her hair? It looks great.”
Cellina points. “Left side Haruka, right side Sydney.”
“Huh.” Nino examines both sides. “Well,Ifeel like a chump. But it’s fine. Now I know I don’t ever need to do it.” He wiggles his eyebrows.
Cellina rolls her eyes. “It it’s left up to you, it’ll be messy ponytails every day.”
“Yup.” Nino nods. “I feel like that’s in style now.”
* * *
Twenty months
“Don’t forgetthat there are extra blood packets in the side zipper of the bag,” Haruka says.
“And if you need to bring her back early,” Nino adds, “just text us. It’s totally fine.”
Asao waves a hand. “Nobody is coming back early.Relax.It’s just one night and we’ll be one hour away with my sister. It’ll be good for her to get out from underneath you two and socialize. Huh, Nami-chan?”
Haruka watches Nami settled in Asao’s arms—her worrisome eyes and the tiny crinkle in her brow. “Otosan and Papa not coming?”
“No, topolina.” Nino steps forward, giving her button nose an affectionate pinch. “But we told you before. You’ll have fun with Auntie Kaori and her grandchildren. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“We’re going to a festival!” Asao tells her. “Kodomo no hi, remember? You’re going to love it, I promise. Okay, let’s go! Say ‘bye-bye.’” Asao turns with Nami in his arms. She flips, staring at Haruka and Nino over his shoulder and waving.
“Bye-bye, Otosan! Bye, Papa!”
“We’ll see you soon, my heart.” Haruka waves. “We love you.”
“Love you!”
They both stand outside the door, watching as Asao secures her into the car seat. When he finishes and closes the door, he waves them off again, shouting, “You’re just making it worse—go inside! I’ll text when we get there.”
Frowning, Haruka steps inside. Nino follows him, then closes the door. Suddenly, the house feels oddly still and silent around them, as if they’ve entered some strange void. They stand, glancing at each other. Nino breaks the silence with a nervous laugh.
“Wow… this feels very strange.”
“Indeed.”
“We spent two and a half years alone together, but the past twenty months have been so busy and endless… What did we do with all our time before?”
Haruka considers. “We worked more. Had sex more. Should we have sex? I have no desire to work.”
Nino folds his arms. “Sex is cool, but when’s the last time you slept for seven hours without any interruption?”
“Hmm…” Haruka sighs dreamily at the idea. He can remember the last time they had sex, but he cannot easily recall sleeping so gratuitously and peacefully. Not since Nami was born.
Nino slips his palm into Haruka’s and pulls him forward. “If all goes well and we have another one by winter, it’s going to get even crazier.”
Haruka shakes his head. “Let’s not think about it right now.”
“Agreed. I vote we take a long nap first. Then you can try to take me to your pseudo-mind sex realm filled with rose bushes.”
Chuckling, Haruka grips his palm a little tighter. “Perhaps. I will try to sweep you away.”
