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I gave the kid a wave as he headed out, pulling out my phone to let him out since I doubted his bike weighted enough to automatically open the front gates. As I turned around I saw both girls looking at me. Ami with both of her hands on her hips giving me a challenging look, “What was up with the twenty point’s thing?”

Sara was looking back and forth from her joyless, healthy choice of a muffin and the still warm from the oven strawberry ones, but she looked up at the question. “Yeah, what the hell was all of that?”

I took the middle child’s question first. It was only fair since she asked first. “I wanted to make sure he knew he was being watched and judged every, single, moment.” I counted on my finger on the last three words. Turning to Sara, I gave her an innocent look. “He came all the way out here, I just thought it would be nice to show him the house and let everyone say Hi.”

The eldest gave me a suspicious look. Then began cutting the top off her muffin before hesitating and putting a little honey butter on one corner. Nibbling at it, and then slathering it with the sweetened butter to an extent that negated any health benefit to all the bran.

Just as we were finishing up eating, of course my son called me. “Hi, dad. I’m sorry for the short notice, but things are moving fast.”

For once the kid’s were not all over me as I got a phone call. Only showing a normal amount of interest as Ami finished her apple muffin, and Sara eyeballed a strawberry one even as she showed every sign of enjoying the bran one.

“What do you mean son?” The girls head snapped over to me, even Aran began looking up from where he was pushing the crumbs on his plate into some sort of multi pointed star.

“Well, I was pushing to get this done on the assumption that both sides would make some power plays due to getting their egos hurt by not having everyone come to them.” I could imagine him shaking his head. “But I guess they want this done and settled.”

“So they’re both heading your way this weekend. Saturday at noon.”

Hmm… “Well I guess that gives me a day and a half to learn how to serve tea. Oh no, that’s right. Everything has to be in sealed container’s. Right?” Ami was staring at me while poking her finger up against her other hand, which she was holding up like she had something in it. Sara had her eyes shut and seemed to be focusing on hearing the other side of the conversation.

My son sounded a little surprised. “No actually. Normal food and drink is okay. Not showing trust in their host would make them look weak. Maybe something nice, I’ll pick up something they’ll both like. Do you have a strainer.”

Ami was now more urgently poking at her hand and whispering “Speaker.” at me. “Yeah, I got a whole tea set, including what I’m pretty sure is a strainer. Whole thing is even silver, so I guess that might look like my own power play. Being what I am.”

Sara paused in cutting open her second muffin, strawberry, as both she and Ami gave me looks of concern. Their dad sounded a trifle worried as well. “That is safe for you, right?”

I nodded my head for the girls. “It is unless they pinch me with the sugar tongs. Silver is only a problem if it breaks the skin, and then stays in. I’ve been told the gals use silver earrings to stay human so they can have kids.”

That got me a “Huh.” Then. “So it’s going to be Ichiro Otaru. With Yuki’s uncle Dave and her mom Ori, as his attendants...”

I waited, then asked. “And…”

He sighed. “Endora with her daughter Rosaria… and my mom.”

I sighed myself, and then filched as I glanced down and finally noticed that both the girls had crept up to stand up close up to me. Both looking up at me in concern. “It’s okay John. I knew I was going to have to deal with her again sooner or later. I do hope the whole kill me if we meet again threat from her mom is over?”

“Yeah. You should have two people with you too, or else they won’t take you seriously. Me and Yuki can’t do it since I’m trying make sure it’s understood my family is a package deal.”

Well. Adora as the local law would normally have been a good choice. But new sort of girlfriend right there when I met old girlfriend, slash, baby mama. Maybe not the best plan.

I would have to figure something else out.

Then. “Me and Yuki should be there by tonight.”

Both the girls began to squeal, even Aran seemed excited. So I let them fight over my phone as I took a seat.

My son was coming to my home. Here, to my house. I was going to meet him for real, for the first time. Face to face, not over a phone.

Aran was suddenly there looking up at me. Reaching up with both hands to be picked up and hugging me around the neck. Yeah, the weight of the kid on my leg sort of settled me down. My son was on his way. Right.

I let the thought settle in so I could stop thinking about it and move on to doing something about it. I smiled at the boy. “Thanks grandson. Now let’s go pick out some fresh sheets for your parent’s room. We can see if your sisters left us any without barbecue stains.”

I didn’t even mess up his hair. Not the moment for it.