All *Real* Ranma 1/2 Characters copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and
are used without permission, hopefully to entertain.


Mother's Day 
________________________________________________________________


Onna-Ranma stood naked before the mirror in the bath room, her
left hand stroking the long scar just below her navel.  In her
right hand she held a scrap of calendar page, having torn it in
bitter anger from the calendar in the kitchen a few minutes
before.
       Her heart was heavy as she stared sadly at the ugly mark,
wishing it never had to be.  Deep inside, she knew she had truly
wanted to be a mother to the small life that once existed where
her hand now rested, and whenever she thought of the loss, she
could feel her heart break yet again.
        Raising her right hand again, she glared at the scrap of
paper, and crunched it just a little more in her shaking hand.
On the protruding edge of the scrap, she could still make out the
words that had triggered her sad trip down memory lane.
	"May 11 - Mother's Day".
        The male Ranma had woken up as usual this day, wandered
into the kitchen looking for Akane, and glanced at the calendar.
Instantly, he snatched the corner of the page off, and stormed
from the room, ending up under a bucket of cold water in the
bath room.
	Her anger now turned to anguish as she lowered her
red-maned head and turned from the mirror.  Absently, she let
the paper fall from her hand, then used the same hand to wipe
her stinging eyes.
	In her mind, a dizzying array of what-ifs played out, each
bespeaking a great future for the daughter she almost had.  With
each possibility, her sadness seemed to deepen, until finally the
tears that had so far only threatened began to flow, leaving
slender, glistening trails along her cheeks.
	For a brief moment, she considered seeking revenge on the
person who brought her this grief with his vapid acts, but being
the honorable individual she was, she could not, she knew, in any
good conscience go against the promise she had made to Akane.
	Cursing to herself, she wiped her eyes again and reached
for her oversized shirt that lay draped over the stool beside her.
As she slid it on, her eyes breifly caught sight of the scar again,
bringing a deeper scowl to her face.
	Walking slowly out of the bath room, she absently wandered
out into the dining room, not even caring that neither Soun or
Genma were there.  Despite her melancholy, she did hear squeals
and laughter coming from outside, and slowly walked to the sliding
door to investigate.
	The sight that greeted her in the yard made her smile in
spite of herself, as she saw her family playing happily.  Akane
chased a surprisingly quick and spry Miyabi about the yard, while
Masao lay on his back, squealing at the spectacle.
	"Akane..."  the name rolled absently off her lips.  It
occurred to Ranma then that she was not the only one that this
date held significance to.  Akane was a mother, the mother of two
of the most beautiful children a man could ever want.  As such,
she had given him the most precious gift a woman could give, and
Ranma knew, from his brief experience, exactly how precious that
gift was.
  	It was beyond a doubt the most important time in a woman's
life, and one that exacted a huge toll in energy, patience and
love, and Ranma suddenly felt honoured that Akane had allowed him
to be the father of her most cherished children.
	A new tear formed in her eye now, only this one was of
thanks for the two beautiful children she loved, and, equally as
precious, the woman who bore them, raised them, and loved them
selflessly.
	Ranma continued to watch the spirited play in the yard,
smiling with pride, yet still crying with thanks to be able to do
just that.
	After a few emotional moments more, onna-Ranma turned away
from the window and strode purposefully back to the bath.  A few
more seconds elapsed, and the male Ranma emerged from the room and
headed up to get dressed.
	In the bedroom, Ranma sat before a pen and a sheet of
paper, and with no hesitation composed a note.  Upon getting
dressed, he folded the note carefully and tucked it in the back
of his pants.

        Out in the yard, he walked up to the most cherished woman
in his life and bowed deeply before her.  When he rose, Akane
could see that he had been crying.
	"Ranma... What's wrong?"  she asked, reaching for him.
	"Akane-chan;  I was sitting in the bath earlier, crying
about our lost daughter, and feeling very sorry for myself..."
he began, lowering his eyes.  "I was being selfish.  It's Mother's
Day today, and I almost wasted it on *my* misery.  I... want to say
something to you, and I wrote it down so I wouldn't screw it up,
too."  he continued, raising his eyes to meet hers.
	Akane's face softened as she regarded her husband, and she
immediately sought to reassure him.  "Ranma, you don't..."
	She was abruptly cut off by Ranma's hand rising before her
face.
	"Akane... I must.  Please hear me out."  he insisted, his
eyes imploring.
	Akane simply nodded, biting her lower lip.  Miyabi quietly
wandered up beside her, clung on to her flowing yellow skirt, and
looked curiously at Ranma.  Even at her tender age, she could see
that something was bothering her Papa.
	Ranma cleared his throat, sniffed to clear his sinuses, and
withdrew the note from his waistband.  With a quick glance at Akane,
he unfolded it and began to read aloud.
	"Akane my love... I stood today before a mirror, seeing
only the scars of a battle lost, a life ended, and a future
destroyed.  My thoughts were only for me and the great sorrows that
buried my heart.  But, as I stood looking at myself, thinking these
thoughts, I remembered that the reason I was thinking them was that
it is Mother's Day.  The day set aside to celebrate the love,
happiness and pride of being a mother, and to recognize those who
have sacrificed so much for the simple joy of raising their children.
	I remembered that you, Akane, are the mother of the two most
beautiful children a man could ever want, and you have given me the
honor of being their father.  This is the truest sign of love, and
it is for this great, selfless act that I thank you, Akane... I am
truly the most fortunate man alive today, for you chose to give me
these wonderful gifts, an act which I can never hope to match.  It
is with all that I am that I express my love for you, Akane
Saotome... and with the greatest of gratitude and indebtedness that
I say... Happy Mother's Day."  he concluded, bowing deeply once more.
	Ranma looked up from the paper to see Akane looking back at
him with shimmering eyes, her face flushed and body trembling.  He
reached into his front pocket and produced a small gold locket and
chain, and opened it before Akane to reveal two tiny pictures
within... one of each of his children.  Wordlessly, he closed it
again, and gently placed it in Akane's hands.  Looking into her
still shimmering eyes,  he smiled gently.
        "Suki da yo, Akane-Chan."  he said, quietly.  "Thank you."
	Akane could bear no more.  Bursting into tears, she wrapped
Ranma in a passionate hug, nearly knocking him off-balance.
        "Suke da yo, Ranma." she whispered between sobs. "I
wouldn't want anyone else to be the father of my children... or, to
be their Daddy.  And you should be very proud of your part in our
family..."  she continued, her voice trailing off.
	"I am... but I'm more proud of you, especially when I see
them together... and you with them."  Ranma replied, squeezing his
spouse a little tighter.  "You made them what they are, Akane...
and I love you for that."  he continued, his own voice starting to
break.
	Akane smiled through her tears, not wanting to talk any
more.  She had her children, she had her husband... and she had
their love.  It was a perfect Mother's Day.



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END - Mother's Day                      A Ranma1/2 FanFic by Coutuva.


Comments Welcomed, Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@vecdev.com