We were in the car now. Sunset was falling, and as we'd waited, we'd watched the sunset come over the city. The cherry blossoms were so beautiful as the pink light cast on their petals. I'd sat in a wheelchair under the blossoms and Tetsu had stood beside me, holding my hand. We'd people watched, something so foreign to me now. I hadn't been around people like that in a long time. It was oddly freeing, being out in the world like that. It felt like there were so many possibilities just waiting, seeing everyone in their own lives.

"Why didn't you call us as soon as you got out?" His mom asked, sounding slightly harassed. She turned in her seat, and I saw Natsuko glance up at the mirror from the driver's seat. Tetsu had his arms around me as I laid on him. I was tired now, but I didn't want to let on how tired I was. Everyone was so excited. I didn't want to ruin that.

"I wanted to see the cherry blossoms with him," he explained. "Just the two of us."

"That's romantic," Natsuko interjected, as their mom's mouth opened to say something else. From her expression, it was going to be a scold.

"Hmm." She pressed her lips together, clearly uncomfortable. "Even so..."

"We were safe the whole time," he said. "We were still on the hospital grounds."

"Okay."

"Are you going to write a blog post about Sana getting out?" Natsuko asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. Later tonight. I want to let everyone know. Everyone's been so worried."

My eyes closed heavily, despite my efforts. His hand swept through my hair, causing my lips to curl into a smile.

"If you're tired, you can nap," he said quietly to me, stroking my hair again. Surprising myself, I yawned. "Aww," he chuckled. "Go to sleep. We have a ways to go to your apartment. You can nap a little bit."

"Is Sana tired?" Natsuko asked.

"Yeah," he said. "It's been an exhausting day. I'm not surprised. We had to get up so early."

I fell asleep to his hand in my hair, staying there on top of my head. As I was drifting, he took off my glasses sweetly, and I could not stop smiling.

The next time I woke up, I was in his arms. His mom was opening my front door, and the clacking of my key ring's keychains had woken me. I looked around, and his sister was holding our bags. As the door swung open, Tetsu breathed in deeply.

"Ahh, that's a familiar smell," he said, walking forward. "Cooking smell from this apartment. So many memories."

"I'd love to hear about them. You've never really talked about the early part of your relationship. All that secrecy," Natsuko said behind us. "Well, it's not a secret anymore. I want to know about it."

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know. You're right, it's definitely not a secret anymore. Hmm. I wonder if Sana will agree, if I can talk about it on my blog, too? I'd love to share some of those stories. He's really wonderful. I want to share him with the world."

"You can tell our stories," I chimed in quietly.

"Oh- you're awake! Ahh, I was trying not to wake you." He was smiling down at me now. I puckered my lips, and he gave a shy smile. He lowered his chin down to the side, and kissed me as I brought my head up.

"Damn it, I wish my husband would kiss me like that," Natsuko laughed. She put our bags down next to the front door.

"Make him!" Tetsu laughed with her. "You're always saying stuff like that. Demand it."

"You know what? I'm going to. He's been slacking."

Tetsu kept laughing as he laid me on the couch closest to the door. Natsuko went and sat on the matching couch opposite it. She spread out her arms along the backrest, truly relaxing. As I fully opened my eyes, I realized my apartment had been transformed. My mouth opened as I took it in.

Fairy lights were around my living room window. They were along my kitchen counters, and on the backs of my couches. They twisted up my floor lamp, and ran along the edges of my floors. So many. Foil balloons in purple and pink colors were against my ceiling, their curly tails coming down, six in total. Colorful rainbow daisies were on my living room table.

"Did you decorate my apartment?" I asked, gazing at everything. My cheeks had to be pink.

"Yes. Do you like it? It's to welcome you out of the hospital. Kind of a party," Natsuko smiled at me.

"Yes. It's so beautiful. I love the twinkle lights."

Tetsu picked up a hot pink daisy from the vase, and sat down next to my head. The daisy was on my nose in an instant. I giggled, and he giggled with me. It smelled so good.

"It's really gorgeous in here. Thank you both so much," he said, wiggling the daisy all over my face. I made to bite it and he curled his body cutely into laughter.

Sounds of his mom bustling around the kitchen interrupted us. "Mom, come sit down. Don't worry about that yet. It's fine," Natsuko said, her arm making a motion to get her to come over to us.

"But. Are you all hungry? Should we eat? Lunch was so long ago. Sana-chan, are you hungry? I don't want you to get too hungry."

"Are you hungry?" Tetsu asked, the daisy landing on my forehead.

I looked up at him, the petals on the edge of my vision. "I could eat."

More clinking and clanking sounds met this. My refrigerator opened and closed. Cling wrap was rustling. My stove clicked on, and very soon the crackling of cooking meat met my ears. And the smells...it was heavenly.

"I already cooked them," she explained, "I'm just heating them up. Won't take long. I'll put them on the tea table, and we can take what we want. No big deal."

"Sounds good," I smiled. Tetsu was rolling the daisy about my forehead, teasing me. I was in heaven.

My eyes closed again, and the flower dipped onto my eyelids, making my smile grow bigger. Like magic, he kissed my forehead, and I sighed deeply, so happy.

The next time I woke up, my living room window was dark. There was a large serving platter on my tea table covered in delicious food. Their mom had joined Natsuko on the couch opposite us. They were both eating, and Tetsu was talking. I looked up at him, and he was so animated, smiling so much, with a stick of yakiton in his hand.

"If we go to Enoshima, maybe we can go to the restaurant we like? Ah, but I don't know, it only serves sea food. I wonder if that's okay? Will Shinji and Aki like it? Maybe we should find some place that has a more kid friendly menu. That restaurant is more adult."

"We can go anywhere you want to go," his mom said, nodding.

"They'll just have to deal with it. It's not about them. This is your birthday." Natsuko took a bite of her yakitori.

"That's true. I guess if they're still hungry then they can get something on the way home."

"Now you're talking! Be selfish. It's your fortieth birthday! Who cares what anyone else wants to do? We're going to be there to celebrate you. That's what's important. Don't bend to what anyone else wants."

"I'm glad you've finally opened up to what you want to do. Enoshima. It's perfect. I should have guessed that's what you wanted. I remember it was your favorite place when you were a kid. You begged to go all the time. Remember? Every weekend. I'm sorry we couldn't go as much as you wanted."

"Oh, mom..." Tetsu sounded touched.

"What time would be the best to go?" Natsuko tapped her mouth, thinking. "After Shinji and Aki get out of school, right? Or should Naoko and Daichi meet us there? We can spend the whole day there if you want. We can do everything. What do you think?"

"It depends," he said. "I don't want to tire Sana out too much. I have to think about him, too."

"Well, I'm sure if we go early then we can take some downtime and rest. That's not a problem," she went on. "I know we have to think about Sana, too. But, he's doing so much better. You said that yourself."

"That's true."

"Let's go in the mid-morning, then. We can have lunch there and explore. We can go to the aquarium. I remember that was your favorite place when we were kids. I can hear you now, 'mom, can we go to the aquarium?', 'mom, how about the aquarium this weekend?', 'mom, I got top marks on my test, can we go to the aquarium?'" She started laughing. "Remember? Now we have an excuse to go!"

He started laughing, too. "Yeah, I remember. We do have the best excuse to go. But, should we wait until everyone's there to go to the aquarium? I bet Shinji and Aki will like it."

"That's true. I don't know, you shouldn't have to wait for them if that's where you really want to go."

"We can go shopping while we wait," his mom said, reaching for another yakiton. "That could be fun. It's not something the kids would be interested in. Seems like a good activity to do before they get there."

"Oh, that's true." Tetsu's voice got more excited, and I gazed up at him. He was smiling so much. "I wonder what they're selling. I haven't been there in so long."

"We'll do that, then," his mom said. "It's a good idea."

"Yeah. Don't you want to go to the beach, though?" Natsuko asked, leaning her elbow on her knee. "That's one of your favorite places, too. Maybe we can shop in the morning and go to the beach while we wait for everybody."

"I'm sure papa would like to go to the beach," his mom added. "He likes the beach there."

"Hmm." I watched Tetsu take a bite of his yakiton and think as he chewed. "I don't- oh!" He'd looked down at me and saw me staring up at him. I smiled at this. "Hello!" He laughed. "You want a bite? Wait, let me lay you against me. You want pork or chicken? Are you hungry?"

I nodded. "I'm hungry."

He put the top of his yakiton stick between his teeth, and hoisted me up into a sitting position. So skillfully, he laid me against his chest, and put his arm securely around me from behind. He twirled his yakiton stick, and offered it to me. Gratefully, I took a piece into my mouth. It was so juicy and lovely. Heaven on a stick.

"How was your nap?" Natsuko asked, smiling to me.

"Good," I said, between chews.

"Do you think you can hold your own stick, or do you want me to feed you?" Tetsu asked me, so kind.

"I can hold one, I think."

"Let me get that for you," Natsuko said, quickly getting up from the couch. "Which kind?"

"Yakiton. Thank you."

"Of course. Don't worry about it." She handed me one, and I happily held it. Slowly, I found I could get it to my mouth. Warm feelings went through me, this progress.

"It's so good. I need the recipe," I said, having to compliment their mom. It really was so good.

"I'll give it to you! I'm so glad you like what I cooked."

"Thank you," I replied, taking in another piece.

I was only able to eat three sticks of meat before I got too tired again. But, Tetsu was concerned.

"I want you to eat more," he said, a crease between his eyebrows. I couldn't resist because of that face. He fed me another and I loved looking up at him as he did. A feeling like honey was flowing in my veins, because he was taking care of me.

I was working on a fifth, when his mom began speaking again. "About the beach," she said, continuing on what they'd been talking about before. "We can bring beach things, and leave them in the car when Naoko and Daichi arrive. I think that would work."

"But, well... I didn't want to say it..." Tetsu was hesitant.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He looked so troubled. His eyes went down to me, and I wanted to take the concern in his face away. What was he thinking?

"It's just," he said, looking back up at them. "How will Sana's wheelchair be on the beach? Can it roll on the sand?" His eyes went back down to me. My mouth had opened slightly at his words. Oh no. "I don't want you to worry about that. Maybe it's better if we don't go to the beach."

"Oh, that's true. I don't know," Natsuko said.

"We can figure it out. It won't be a problem." His mom was trying.

I wanted to solve the problem, but I didn't know how. I was the problem. It made my heart descend into my stomach. Was I standing in the way of him having fun on his birthday? I didn't want that.

"I want to figure it out now," he said. "I want a plan in place." He looked down at me again, speaking to me only. "I don't want you to worry. We can go to the beach."

Small tears were in my eyes anyway. Knowing I was being a burden like this. So difficult, when it should have been so easy. I blinked them away.

"Hmm. Maybe you can carry him, and papa can carry his wheelchair. Yes, that should work. I can carry our beach things. I'll lay out the picnic blanket," his mom offered.

"It's a good solution," Natsuko said. "We don't have to go swimming or anything. It's too cold for that now, anyway."

"Yeah, that could work. I can hold Sana on the blanket. That's all I want anyway. The beach is always one of our favorite places." His brow was unknitting, maybe becoming more comfortable with this plan. "I've been wanting to do that again. Ah, it's perfect. It's what I've wanted for so long. I can't think of anything better."

"I want that, too."

He looked down at me again, smiling gently. "We'll do that. I want to hold you for hours, staring at the waves." Before I knew it, he was kissing me. I melted, all worries forgotten. As soon as those worries surfaced, they were gone, just like that.

"Aww," his mom sighed. "See? It worked out. I'll call papa and tell him what we're doing. He already took the day off, because it's going to be such an important birthday for you. He said, 'no matter how we spend the day, I want to be there for Tetsu.'"

"Oh, wow," Tetsu breathed. "That really touches my heart. I can't describe it."

As his mom dialed her phone, he looked down at me again. He was smiling so gently, so happy. His eye crinkles were there, and I wanted to kiss every one of them. He pursed his lips, and like magic the yakiton his was holding was at my mouth. Smiling back at him, I opened my mouth, and the delicious pork hit my tongue and I didn't want to be anywhere else in the world.