Danuki Diary - pt 10

    Today we visited a place I’d never thought I’d see again, my parent’s farm. As I write this it’s rather late as we stayed there for dinner. Again journal I call upon you to keep a log of the day’s events and the conversation I was able to remember. I didn’t think I would write a second log after writing the one I managed to get down this morning, and in such record time despite recalling the more intimate moments made me ‘preoccupied’ with other thoughts. As I wrote down in my last entry I went back to bed to Miyabi and just shutting my eyes while I lay next to her, though that did not last as long as I hoped as shortly after that Miyabi awoke.

Miyabi turned over, our faces inches from each other. “Good morning Anon sweetie~,” she said with a yawn and a smile.

“Good morning dear.” I replied, planting a kiss on Miyabi’s forehead, “did you have a restful sleep?”

“Very,” she said returning my kiss. “It also helped that my husband was able to comfort me last night.”

    The two of us lay in bed enjoy each other’s warm bodies until we heard one of the maids knocking on the door and announcing that it was time for breakfast. With a small sigh I almost missed, Miyabi told the maid that the two of us would be down shortly. It was then I got the first indication that we would be making a journey to my old home.

“I don’t want to get out of bed just yet,“ Miyabi groaned pulling herself into me

Returning Miyabi’s affection I stroked her head, “Why not just lay in our warm bed together then till lunch?” I asked. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.”

“There is someplace I’d like us to go,” Miyabi said as she the covers off herself. “Now please get dressed Anon so we can have breakfast together.”

    The morning light filtering through the windows of our bedroom seemed to make Miyabi’s complexion glow as she stood naked in front of her wardrobe. I found myself staring at her from behind, my gaze shifting focus from her womanly figure to the swishing tail that connected to her body just above her butt. Further down I was finally able to see her supposed ‘fluffy calves’, that like her tail were a charcoal black. Being enraptured by the body of my new wife, my stares were noticed as Miyabi turned around, playfully grabbing her tail and hiding herself behind it’s fluff.

“Sweetie, if you keep staring at me like that we’ll end up behind schedule,” Miyabi’s word were dry and devoid of their usual sweet tone. “Please go put on something casual would you?”

    With that I wrestled myself out from under the warm blankets and into the morning light along side Miyabi. My mouth yawned open as I stretched and scratched, walking off to the door that adjoined our bedroom with my personal study to get dressed.
“Casual and presentable huh?” I said to myself as I looked through my clothes.

    The request itself was easier said than done, most of the outfits I now owned were rather ‘formal’ and reflected my new life. Searching through the wardrobe and draws I was unable to find anything that would reasonable fit my wife’s request.Resting my face in the palm of my hand, I tried to think of something, my thumb and forefinger massaging my temples in small circular motions. My mind stumbled for a few minutes till I remembered I did have one such outfit, pulling open the bottom most draw of the bureau I found what I was looking for, my plain cotton tee and slacks I had worn when I had arrived at the estate for the first time. I joined Miyabi in the hall outside when I was done, escorting her to the dining room for breakfast.

    Our meal was rather hearty, or mine was at least. Ham, eggs, and bacon in large portions while Miyabi herself simply had toast and eggs along with the business section of the newspaper like she normally did. Our breakfast was eaten in relative silence, the only noises being the clattering of utensils and the occasional flip and shifting of the newspaper.

“Umm, dear?” I asked breaking the silence, “where exactly are we going today?”

Miyabi appeared from behind her article, that tell-tale mischievous smile on her face. “You’ll see sweetie.” She said, “if you’re finished we should be on our way, it takes some time where I want to go.”

My eyebrow perked up, “dear if we’re going somewhere, why would you want me in casual clothes while you’re wearing such a nice spring dress.” I said pointing out her choice of a brilliant red sundress.

Miyabi smiled, simply replying,“sweetie, a lady must always look her best.”

    When breakfast finished Miyabi and I left for her at the time unknown destination. At her usual position pre-trip, Matilda was waiting by the vehicle, her dark blue chauffeur uniform, it’s gold buttons gleaming. Before stepping in Miyabi handed a map to Matilda I had never seen, from the brief moments I was able to see it it looked like the map had been done by hand, instead of the usual printed map with colored lines indicating how to get to various points. As the engine roared to life and we started down the estate’s driveway I again tried asking where we were heading, only for Miyabi to answer:

“It’s a surprise sweetie~.”

    With Miyabi dead set on keeping me in the dark, I decided it would be best to just nap on the car ride there. Leaning against the glass window I watched the scenery go by while the dull humming of the engine slowly lulled me to sleep, the countryside slowly blurring together till I fell asleep. While I’m unsure how much time passed, eventually I felt my wife’s touch, waking me from my nap.

“Anon sweetie, we’re almost there,” Miyabi said as she gently nudged my shoulder to wake me. “You’ll want to be awake for the last stretch.”

“I was sure I fell asleep against the window,” I said looking up into Miyabi’s emerald green eyes.

“You look so cute when you’re asleep sweetie, and I wanted my husband to a be a bit more comfortable,” Miyabi said in her usual playful tone. “So I got you to rest your head on your beloved wife’s body~.”

“Well thank you dear for thinking of me.” I said sitting upright. “Where are we exactly?”

“Why not have a look out the window sweetie~,” Miyabi teased.

    Looking out the window, I tried to understand what Miyabi meant as we drove through a town, that felt strange yet familiar at first. As the vehicle turned I caught a glimpse of a road sign that read ‘Vermont St.’, the name rung a bell and things started to click then. This was my hometown, we were turning onto Vermont towards my family’s farm that lay at the edge of town. What I felt at that time is hard to describe, a mix of emotions fell over me as we drove through my hometown, and though I had only been gone for a month and a half it felt like years to me.

    As the auto pulled it’s way along the dirt road that passed for the way to my family’s farm, I saw the house sitting amongst the fields and barn coming into the view through the front windows of the passenger cabin. As the car drew closer to the house I saw a figure stepping out from the shed left of the house itself, it was pa.

As the car came to a stop I heard him call out, “are you folks lost?” he said walking up to Matilda.

“No,” I said as I stepped out of the auto his head snapping towards my voice. “At least I don’t think we are.”

“ANONNON!” My pa said as he flung his arms out, “what are you…”

I stopped him, a dull thud interrupted him as I threw a right hook at his chest, both of us reeling a bit from the punch.

Miyabi clambered out from the auto after me, “ANON! What is wrong with you?” Miyabi said her face shocked with horror.

“No...I probably deserved that,” my Pa said patting his chest. “Though Anon, I thought I told you that in a fight ya don’t go for the chest, ya go for the stomach it’s a softer target.” He said pushing in his gut repeatedly with his knuckles.

“That’s for not telling me about the fact this was an arranged marriage,” I said hotly.

“I just hope you’re not like this to your wife,” Pa said, before turning his attention to Miyabi. “Ahh Lady Miyabi, it’s a pleasure seeing you again! I just hope my boy ain’t a hellion around you.”

Miyabi shook her head, “no actually, Anon is a rather sweet man...but…”  she trailed off

“But he just goes with the flow a bit too much, just like his mother.”  Pa said with a snort, “figured. He probably didn’t ask you why he was there until you asked him if he knew.”

Pa seemed to think for a minute before continuing on, “So what brings you two here anyways?”

“Actually sir, we came to give you this,” Miyabi said fishing through her purse before producing a small envelope. “I’d thought it be nice to present you and your wife with the wedding invitation personally.”

“Now that I think about it, can we meet with your wife sir?” Miyabi asked, “I feel like it would be good to meet my mother-in-law as soon as possible.”

Pa’s gaze shifted towards the ground, and I understood why.

I spoke up to try and save the situation, “mom isn’t in all that good health, it’s been like that since my kid brother Johnny was born.” I said looking around the farmstead, “speaking of Pa where is Johnny?”

“He went off to town to help your friend Curtis fix an auto,” Pa said as the conversation shifted. “He’ll be back in time for supper though, for now why don’t you two head on inside, I’m sure Lee would like to see you.”

Pa went off to the barn to check something while Miyabi and I went inside to see mom. The interior was pretty much the same as it had been, the small mudroom where coats were hung along the wall that lead to the kitchen, and shoes aligned in front of the staircase leading to the bedrooms. I took Miyabi’s spring jacket and hung it upon one of the available hooks before we climbed the stairs to my parents room. The second floor was how it had always been, rather cramped a small hallway that connected to both my parents and my former bedroom.

“It’s this one,” I said to Miyabi as I pointed to the rightmost door before knocking on it.

My mother’s voice came through the door, faint. “Come in,” she said.

“Hey mom, how ya feelin’? I asked, poking my head through the door.

“Anon?!” Mom said as I entered the room, “what are you doing back home?”
Trying to keep the surprise I fished for the right words, “I-uh-we...came to give you something,” I said. “Mind if we come in?”

“Of course honey!” Mom said, “but why do you keep saying ‘we’?”

    I entered without saying a word with Miyabi in tow behind me. Mom was in her usual position, upright in her and Pa’s bed. The mid afternoon sun shone through the two windows directly behind the bed, casting light around the small cozy room. My mom’s auburn hair disappeared behind her in her usual braided ponytail.

“OH! Lady Miyabi, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you!” Mom said as Miyabi flashed a small smile, “what brings you two here?”

“We came to give you an invitation to our wedding this spring,” I said handing her the invitation.

I watched as mom’s face lit up, “Anon, I’ll make sure to attend my son’s big day.” She said pulling me into a hug, our positioning making it a bit awkward.

Miyabi spoke up, a tinge of concern in her voice, “Anon, I was never informed your mother was a mamono.” She said pointing to my mom’s small pearl coloured horns that curved atop her head.

“Yeah, mom is minotaur. The doctors joked my Pa was so manly it’s the entire reason why she had 2 sons instead of 2 daughters or a son and a daughter,” I said.

“And I still love you and your brother with every bit.” My mom said before releasing me from her hug. “I think tonight I’ll make something special for dinner, Anon would you be a dear and help me out of bed?”

Miyabi stepped in, “Ma’am if you’d like me to help with cooking I’d be happy to.”  She said, as I helped mom up and out of bed. “I can even fetch Matilda and have her help us, three sets of hands would be better than one.”

“That would be lovely, thank you Lady Miyabi.” Mom said as the three of us made our way back downstairs. “Anon, I don’t think all of us will fit in at the kitchen table, so would you go get Pa and fish the picnic table out of the barn? Let’s enjoy a nice summer night.”

“Are you sure you don’t need me to help mom?” I asked, slowly taking my hands off her so she could stand on her own. “Miyabi you’ll make sure my mom is ok right?”

“Honey, it’ll be ok...Now do what I asked would you?” Mom said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

    After bidding my mom a temporary good bye I went back outside to hunt down Pa, stopping by the auto to wake Matilda and inform her, to her delight, that we’d be staying for supper and that she would be joining us. WIth Matilda heading inside to help Miyabi and Mom, I continued my hunt for Pa. My first stop was the tool shed just left of the house, Pa was usually in there with the tractor, trying to fix an issue it’s had since I was a boy, however poking my head inside there was no one there but the tractor and it’s chipped blue paint job. I checked several more places before heading to the barn where we kept some cattle and chickens. Stepping pass the large sliding door I called out.

“Pa you in here?” I said looking around, “Mom says we’re gonna eat outside tonight since there’s gonna be a lot of us.”

“Gimmie a second Anon, just gotta…” My Pa replied from somewhere up in the loft.

“Pulley stuck again Pa?” I asked as I climbed the ladder to the loft. “You’re gonna throw out your back if you do that and Mom will get mad at you.”

“Then help me Anon and stop standing there,” Pa barked.

Getting in front of Pa, I grabbed the rope. “Alright, I got it and PULL.” I said, the pull coming out mixed with a grunt.

    Pa and I pulled as best we could, eventually managing with some effort to pull  up a sizeable hay bale into the loft. With Pa on one side and I on the other we moved it over onto one of the pallets to keep it off the floor and away from any dripping water.

“So your mom said we’re eating outside tonight?” Pa asked as we started back towards the ground. “I hope you’re not making your poor mother there do all the work.”

“No,” I said with a shake of my head. “Miyabi is helping her as is Matilda.”

“Who?”

“She’s the kikimora that you saw driving the auto, terrible sense of direction but a nice girl.”

“Ahh, in any case boy get one edge of the table and we’ll haul it out together.” Pa said, “on 3, 1...2…”

    With a heave and some grunting,  we picked up the massive old oaken table and carried it out towards the side of the house, stopping every so often to catch our breath. As we set the table down on the flat stretch of earth by the side door that lead into the kitchen, I could hear Miyabi’s voice as well as my mother’s and Matilda’s all mixed together. Hearing the noises made me feel something I hadn’t felt during my time at the estate, it was the sound of a lively house and family.

“Boy, stop spacing out, we need to grab the benches.” My dad called, snapping me out of my thoughts.

    Trailing pa, we made our way back to the barn to grab the benches, the two of us each going two at a time. The trip back was harder for me than pa, who had is stronger than I am. His body much more toned than mine, making it easier for him to haul the two benches where as I had to stop and readjust my grip every so often during the return trip. When the benches were finally placed around the table I called out to let the girls inside, letting them know we had finished our half of the preparation.

“Anon, can you and pa come inside and help us grab some of the things?” mom asked stepping outside with dishes in her hands, “grab what you can and bring it to the table please.”

“Alright, I’ll...Whoops, sorry Matilda.” I said, almost knocking her and the plates of food she carried as I stepped through the door.

“Please try to be more careful Anon,” Matilda said, her recovery and follow up side step of me rather graceful. “Please help Lady Miyabi with what dishes and utensils are left.”

    Inside the kitchen was littered with pots and pans used in cooking, Miyabi holding a pan containing a huge roast.

“I hope you’re hungry sweetie,” Miyabi said. “Your mother is an amazing cook, I hope I just didn’t mess up her recipe she had me prepare.”

I gave Miyabi a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m sure it’s fine,” I said caressing the side of her face. “Now let’s go join the rest of the family outside.”

“I love you Anon,” Miyabi said returning my kiss.

“I love you too,” I said with a pleased sigh as the two of us rejoined my family, taking a seat opposite my parents.

“So what took you two kids so long?” pa asked, “know what? Don’t tell me, better I not know.”

    Just then the sound of an auto’s door slamming and voices came from the front yard, the sound of the auto turning around aggressively in the dirt path in front of my parent’s house before speeding off.

We sat in silence till a voice called out from inside the house,“hello? Anyone home?”

“Johhny you knuckle head we’re outside!” I yelled out to the voice

“Anon don’t shout, go get your brother.” Mom scolded.

“JOHNATHON, GET YOUR BUTT OUTSIDE!”, this time pa yelling at the top of his lungs, “IT’S SUPPER TIME!”

    Mom just puffed her cheeks as pa clearly went against what she had just told me, I chuckled a bit at the scene before me. Johnny came out the side door, his blonde hair tucked under a red ball cap. His face seemed to shift about as he surveyed the table.

“Johnny, if you  keep gawking dinner is going to get cold.” I said twisting around to look at him, “sit next to Matilda and dig in.”

“Anon, I thought the parents sold you off.” Johnny’s voice trailed as he seemed unable to believe my existence.

“Try arranged marriage, in any case Miyabi meet my kid brother Johnny, Johnny meet my wife Miyabi.” I said gesturing between the two.

“How do you do miss,” Johnny said removing his cap, his hair sticking up every which way as a result.

“Smooth Johnny boy, that hat hair will win the ladies over for sure.” I said laughing.

“Who was that that dropped you off honey?” Mom asked as Johnny strode over to the table and sat down next to Matilda.

“Eric, he hooked up with that gremlin girl who owns the appliance repair shop in town.”  Johnny said, as I watched him pile food onto his plate. “She rigged his car with something she calls a super-charger, says it gives the engine more power.”

    Johnny stopped as he seemed to notice Matilda, a warm smile spread across his face as the two made eye contact.

“I didn’t introduce myself to you yet,” He said as smoothly as he could. “I’m Johnny.”

I listened to the first time ever as Matilda lost her usual cool composure, “I-I’m Matilda.” her voice nervous.

“Hey Johnny I think my driver likes you,” I teased him. “Her tail is wagging like crazy.”

Matilda looked flustered as she spoke,“F-forgive me Anon, Lady Miyabi.” she said. “I’ll try to contain myself.”

“It’s alright Matilda,” Miyabi said trying to reassure her. “It’s actually nice to see you happy.”

Pa and I looked at each other, a wide grin creeping across my face. “Looks like the family may be getting bigger pa,” my being my only words.


    Dinner was spent in high spirits, with me telling what happened during my month and a half stay at the estate, leaving the night Miyabi and I consummated our relationship for courtesy reasons. The cooling summer’s night air filled with our laughter as we told stories and jokes, our plates emptying and our stomachs filling.When the last utensil clattered to its plate and dinner was finished thanks were exchanged and dishes brought inside to be washed, staying till long after the sun had set. As night fell we prepared for the long ride home, mom handing me some left overs  despite my protests.

“Alright you three, it was fun and we thank you for stopping by,” pa said. “But I’m tired and your mother needs her rest.”

“Take care,” I said hugging mom and giving pa the firmest handshake I could muster. “I hope we can come back again.”

“You can come back anytime honey,” my mom said . “This is your home, family is always welcome here.”

“‘Tilda too I take it?” I said, another smug grin creeping across my lips as I turned to Matilda, who had seemed to shrink a few sizes. “How about it Matilda, would you wanna come visit Johnny some time?”

Matilda fidgeted with her cap as she looked at the ground,  “i-if Anon and Lady Miyabi would allow it…”  She said, her wagging tail betraying her hope

“Of course you can,” Miyabi said. “I’ll just get one of the other maids to drive.”

“Or I could, not licensed or nothing, but I’ve spent time driving autos around with Curt.” I said

“Sweetie, I trust you can. I’d just rather have one of the maids to it.” Miyabi said as I helped her into the auto.

“Alright,” I said stepping in after her, “if you say so.”

    I waved to my parents as the auto drove off down the darkened road, my old home become a small black blob illuminated by a few lamps in the windows. By that time food coma had begun to set in, but I’m sure at one point I thanked Miyabi for cooking a meal for me, all I do remember is coming home late and Matilda having to wake both me and Miyabi who had fallen asleep with her arms around me.

I apologize journal for the length of this update, the strain must be great on you. Though these memories are something that I wish to hold close.