Shikicchi

I don't even know how I ended up with this woman. She's a cultural phenomenon, she has a daytime TV show, books, and even a monthly magazine and women all over the world listen to her words in eight different languages. If I went back in time and told myself I'd end up with one of the most influential women on the planet I'd probably throw hot coffee in my own face.

 

Yet here she is, picking out clothes and playing with her hair. We met when she needed her second book translated, and the publisher assigned me to it. Eventually our communications about work ended up drifting into other territory. We've been married for almost six years now.

 

We've spent years travelling the world together from India and China to Italy and Germany. She's collects all kinds of knowledge and wisdom on Buddhism and works it into her own philosophy, in an attempt to help others lead healthier lives. And it sold a lot of books and made her a lot of money. I've watched her keep people hanging on her words in multiple different languages. Hell her English and Italian have gotten better than mine.

 

She's still surprisingly down to Earth though. I always figured celebrity changed a person. It's already the late afternoon and now sunlight pours in through the window and I watch her blonde hair shine in it's glow.

 

She gives me a wink "Missing me already?"

 

I sit myself up and fake a smile "We only got a few days together this time and now you've got another meeting."

 

"Well you knew I'd be busy. Besides we did have a lot of fun last month."

 

And we did. I don't think either of us wore more than two or three pieces of clothing for about a week and I feel sorry for whoever had to wash the bedding.

 

She playfully hikes up her skirt, slowly baring her thighs "We can still fit in another round before I go."

 

"You have to go to the airport and I'm not that fast."

 

"Oh well too bad." She sticks her tongue out at me. "I have to go. I need to get these interviews for my new book done and shoot some promos. I just got done filming some specials for overseas."

 

She's onto her fifth book now. Come to think of it the publisher did give her a long deadline, I mean the book was always going to be a sure thing, and rake in a considerable amount of money for everyone. And she's already doing interviews which means they're ready to get this book out right away. Did she rush it for some reason?

 

"Seems like it was just yesterday that you started writing."

 

"I know. Who knew it would all come to me so quickly." She grinned then looked worried. I guess she's sensing something. I've never been worried about her being gone before."I'd take you with me but it's only going to be a short trip."

 

A short trip? She's doing three stops and going half way across the world. But it's not unprecedented. I guess it was easier letting her go off on her own before we were married. Am I losing myself and getting jealous over nothing?

 

"You'll be back before I know it."

 

"You bet!" She giggles.

 

"Hey Shiki. Did you rush through your book?"

 

She gives me her trademark smirk "Guess you caught me. I just wanted to get it out of the way. I'm going to be really busy in the next few months... maybe years."

 

Years?

 

"Wait, what are you going to be busy with? You have something planned already?"

 

She looks away for a moment then returns to me with a blushing smile.

 

"Motherhood."