Dream Bakery - Completed April 7, 2018

Chapter Fourteen: Preparing for Change

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Sitting at the dining room table directly beneath the stairs, Masami couldn't help but hear her children return from their outing and scatter. She noticed they'd brought a guest along, but focused on her gourmet cookbook for the moment, her attention held by a very interesting recipe. She had a surprise in mind for Kengo, and needed to make sure she had all the details down just right, wanting to pull it off without a hitch. She would only get one chance to get it right, not wanting to waste ingredients or time.
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Nova followed Ricky upstairs, looking for attention. Since he wasn't that tired yet, Ricky obliged her by bringing out the laser pointer to play, laughing at the cat's antics. "Here's one thing not even you can catch," he teased the cat.
He didn't spend much time with Nova, probably the least out of all of his family, but that wasn't deliberate on his part. It was just that with so many others also wanting a turn, he rarely had a chance to do much with her. Especially with school keeping him so busy. Ricky was thrilled Nova had sought him out this time, though he suspected that was because everyone else was occupied and he had noticed her before Kengo, who was also nearby.
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Not wnating to listen to Ruby and Pierce enjoying themselves, Kimi went into the boys' room to play blickblock, daydreaming about what it would be like to have a lover. For some reason, her friend Renee's face kept coming to mind, rather than one of the boys she knew. Maybe she should ask her mothers how they had known who they wanted to be with. She did think boys were attractive, she just wasn't that interested in them. Well, it's not like she had to decide right this instant, unlike Ricky, who had a crush on Evie Delgato and was working up to asking her on a date.
Kimi weighed hinting to Evie in the interest of moving things along or keeping her twin's confidence. In the end, loyalty won out - for now.
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Kengo was too excited about his forthcoming wedding to sleep, instead busying himself making some food for Nova. He didn't know how the cat wasn't fat, as pampered as she was. Must be all that running around outside she did keeping her lean and healthy.
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Wanting to surprise his family while working on improving his cooking experience, Ricky made breakfast before going to bed. It was only eggs and bacon, which came out edible if not excellent, but that was a good start. Watching a cooking show just wasn't the same as actually doing it all on his own, without anyone to consult with and only his own eyes and nose to tell him when the food was ready. Pleased with his efforts, he put the platter away and cleaned up after himself.
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No longer sore formt he previous night's workout, Ricky spent more time in the gym, this time working with weights. He hoped once he loooked more muscular and less pudgy, Evie would notice him and want to go out with him. Not like he was in a hurry to find the one he would eventually settle down with, but he didn't want to go through High School single either.
Eventually tiring, Ricky yawned and went to bed, feeling pleasantly sore and certain he'd made progress toward his goal.

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Next morning, Kengo sat on the couch next to Molly and chatted while he ate breakfast. It was excellent, and he wondered who had made it.
"Not Masami or I, she would have told me and I know she was busy reading until she came to bed," Molly said when he asked.
Kengo nodded. "One of the kids then.. Suppose we'll find out when they wake."
"I'm sure we will. Anyway, I'm glad it's just us right now. I wanted to talk to you."
"What about?" Kengo asked, alerted by the serious tone in her voice.
"Masami and I want you to have the Cakery, and this apartment. It's our wedding gift to you and Janet," Molly told him.
Kengo wasn't surprised. "Well I know you're leaving me the Cakery and I figured I'd inherit the apartment..."
"No, I mean for you to take them over right away. We'll move out and take the younger three with us," Molly explained.
At that, Kengo blinked. "Are you sure? You don't have to do that."
Molly smiled gently at him. "But we want to. You'll want to get started on your family, and this place is already pretty crowded. We can't and won't ask you to wait another year or two until Ruby is ready to move out. Your ma and I are getting too old to be going up and down so many flights of stairs every day."
"That's a lame excuse," Kengo objected, smiling. "I don't know what to say."
"Say thank you," Molly prompted.
Grinning, Kengo put down his plate and hugged her. "Thank you very much. I'll miss having you both around, and my siblings too."
"Oh, don't worry, we'll be back to help from time to time," Molly promised, hugging him back.
"Good. Who's keeping Nova?" he asked, remembering the cat.
"Why don't you? She's getting older too and I hate to move her again."
"Okay. At least Janet likes cats."
Kengo needed time to process that, so lost in his thoughts that he missed that Molly said that this was "her" wedding gift, not "our" wedding gift, suggesting that Masami had a gift of her own. He was just glad she was entrusting her dream to him and hoped he would able to keep The Cakery going, something he could pass on to his own children someday.
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Ruby sand Ricky joined them soon after, and Kengo snapped out of his thoughts to participate in the conversation.
"So how was your trip to the Romance Festival?" Molly asked.
"Good. I want to go again soon," Ricky told her.
Ruby smiled widely. "I asked Pierce to be my boyfriend and he said yes!"
"That's great, sis," Kengo said, genuinely happy for her. "If he gets out of line, Ricky and I'll deal with him."
"We sure will," Ricky agreed.
Ruby ignored both of them. "It was so much fun, Mom. Much easier than you said it was with Mama."
"Boys, no threatening violence, please," Molly said. "Ruby, I'm glad for you, sweetie. You'll have to invite Pierce to dinenr with us soon. In fact, invite the whole family."
"Oh, I will. Next weekend maybe," Ruby said.
Kengo wondered why Ricky suddenly blushed and ran from the room. Distantly he heard his little brother call to his twin, "Kimi, I'm going for a jog. Want to come with?"
"Sure, just let me change," Kimi yelled back.
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Ruby went downstairs to workout, practicing ont he punching bag. She thought about Pierce as she did so, wondering if he'd want to come to the gym with her sometime. She was also looking forward to the following weekend's dinner, thinking she'd ask if she could do the cooking, though her repertoire was limited. Then again, if she really wanted the Delgatos to be impressed, it might be better to let her parents do it. They were more skilled and knew more recipes after all.
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With Kengo otherwise occupied, Masami snuck down to the closed Cakery and gathered the incredients to make her surprise, a white and black wedding cake. It might not be traditional, but it was fancier. And she wanted nothing but the best for her oldest.

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Kengo went to the house Janet had grown up in even though he knew she had recently moved out on her own. Her parents still lived there and he wanted to meet his future in-laws before the wedding.
He found Ian and Rochelle O'Roarke to be very interesting, nice people and the conversation flowed easily. He enjoyed getting to know them and felt they'd have no trouble getting along with his parents, which was good. They welcomed him into the famly as if he was the son they'd never had, much to Kengo's surprise and pleasure.