Baby Steps

Taylor turned her head away again as her blush returned. She was apparently striking out so badly, but she just wanted things to be good. Why was it so hard to let someone help?

"Well, I mean..." She stammered. "Like... You've got a baby now and everything, and that's really different than the way it was a year ago. Like you probably would've had to separate me and Aurora by now, know what I mean? Just... how's life?"

"A baby changes people, Nee-san." Mamouru said, nodding with a serious face. "This isn't the first time Kaa-san and I have been together. I'm a different person now, Nee-san. A better person." He said smiling. "I love Kaa-san, though. We discovered things about each other we glossed over the first time. We're happy." He reassured.

Taylor nodded with a tight smile and turned her eyes to Aurora.

Aurora looked up with a smile and nodded. For the most part, Mamouru was right. It was so much easier to overlook their differences with a baby girl to take care of. There were still things about Mamouru she didn't...appreciate though she never brought them up. And it didn't hurt that she had her own baggage that he had to put up with as well. While it was true that having Megumi may had changed them, part of it was purely because of her presence. They knew they had to be better people. So they made it work.

The mother continued to feed Megumi spoonfuls at a time. The baby now had her eyes back up at Taylor as she ate. "I admit, not wrestling helps...I mean it's stressful at times taking care of this little one but it's a satisfying kind of stressful. Not...well you know..." Aurora vaguely said. Megumi suddenly groaned and got some of the sweet potato mush onto her chin. Aurora pulled a cleaning towelette from her nearby bag and wiped off the baby's face who leaned back and away from her mother. "Made a little mess, didn't you? But yea...I know we've had our...disagreements..." she started but was clearly a little bit at a loss for what words to use. Aurora felt a little anxious, her heart beating a little faster. "...but I mean...they were just petty things...right? I know I regret them."

At the very least, though, she knew it was suppose to be the right thing to do and say.

"Eh," Taylor said with a wave of her hand. "Forget that stuff. Water under the bridge."

Except for one thing.

"Like I don't want you to feel like I'm... mad at your or something over stuff that happened before, or whatever. And... I know we aren't supposed to mention her, but I don't want you to think that I don't want you around because of..."

She glanced hesitantly at Johnny, and didn't say the name.

"We're family now. Don't let dumb shit get in the way, okay? And... ya know, for Megumi..."

The mother wasn't entirely convinced that Taylor had honestly forgiven all that had happened between the two. Aurora couldn't say the same thing. But she did believe that Taylor wanted to forgive. And Aurora wanted the same.

The woman reached up and covered Megumi's ears after Taylor said the s-word. "Yea. We are aren't we?" she asked with a little laugh. It was weird to say out loud. And even though it felt odd, she didn't want to seem like she was offended by the idea. "But...yea. I'm sorry for what it's worth about all...that."

Mamouru watched as the two tried their best to make bygones be bygones. HE chewed on his lip as he thought about it. Usually Taylor meant what she said and he certainly believed her. He looked to Aurora. She had wanted him and her sister to make up when they were dating the first time. It didn't really happen and was probably the reason that they had ultimately parted ways.

Still, Aurora had come back to him, which he had been surprised. But what if she hadn't gotten pregnant that night? Would this still be happening. And there was still the elephant in the room. He looked back at Taylor and then at Aurora. even though she was his wife, he could never forgive Talia. He looked to Megumi. She would always be a reminder of why. She lived up to her name, truly.

"I think everyone would like it if we could be civil. I see no reason why we can't. Everything in the past is there and can stay there, right, Kaa-san? Megu-chan is a blessing. She truly lives up to her name." He said smiling at the child.

Johnny had nodded to Taylor and then looked at Aurora and smiled. "Yeah, man, I dunno who would want to f-" He stopped. "Who would wanna mess up sh-stuff, and junk. Like, I know I love the heck outta the little girl, so i sure wanna see her around. Taylor'll come around. I mean, like with hangin out with her and junk. I don't think she needs ta come around ta thinkin she's as adorable as f-"

"Uhhh...." Johnny turned and looked t Taylor and Megumi and Aurora and blushed. "Man... this is gonna be rough." He said and laughed. "Anyway, like, anytime you need a break and don't feel like goin all the way to Tokyo, we're always here. like, it's cool. We've got extra rooms and, I guess we could get some baby junk so you don't have to carry a bunch of crap. Taylor will love it, right, babe?" Johnny said, grinnign widely.

Taylor gave Johnny the smile that said that she was really trying to be cool.

"Totally, man. I just... Like, if I were you and it was my kid, I don't know if I'd trust me, know what I mean? Like... You know what I mean." She bounced up and down on her heels for a moment before her expression broke and her eyebrows knit up. "I'm not even the one with the kid, and I'm scared to death!"

She plunked back down in her seat and grabbed a bowl of noodles. Maybe food would help her shut up and calm down, and she grabbed a bunch with her chopsticks, and then a smaller bite, and then a smaller one, and eventually she ate one single noodle as quickly as she could.

Johnny watched as Taylor finally sat down to eat. She was cute when she didn't know what to do with herself. He smiled and then turned to Mamouro. "Oh, hey, bro, like, since you're hear, I wanted to show you some stuff and junk. Like, I've got some equipment and some other junk. You gotta second?"

Mamouru looked at Johnny with a curious eyebrow and then looked back at Aurora and then to Taylor. "I suppose, since we're here." He said and stood up.

"Cool, man, like, we won't be gone long and I'll make sure we come rushing back if Megu cries."

Mamouru flashed a smile and nodded quickly to Aurora before following his brother off towards the garage.

Aurora couldn't help but smile a little bit at Johnny's offer of hospitality. Like they had said, they were family now. It was really weird to think of Taylor as such...but it was what it was. As the two brothers left the room, though, the blonde looked down from Taylor and to Megumi. "There. All done. Now wasn't that good?" As she sat there, she realized Taylor did have a point. Why did she trust her?

"The food's good," she offered as a compliment, not looking up from her baby. Apart from Megumi's little groans, though, it was quiet in the room. "...So...you ready for your big match?" Aurora asked as she finished cleaning her baby's face. She wasn't really sure what else there was to ask.