Chapter Sixteen: Happy Headaches:

When I was with Kayako, I didn’t have to care about anything. Hell could take care of itself. We just lived in exile together. I grew to learn more about the land. Kayako told me more about her childhood. She grew up with her mother and brothers. She was the oldest of her family. There was no father. He wasn’t around too often. He left after the last baby was born, in fact. I could relate to her in a way.

“My father kicked me out of my home,” I told her one night. “I didn’t agree how he was taking things.”

“What do you mean?” Kayako asked. I shook my head.

“It was the family business,” I said. “I was going to take over, but he just went a different direction than what I wanted.” She rested her head against my chest.

“Your father says like my people,” she said. I patted her on the head. Kayako may act tough, but I thought she was just lonely.

“I will never let you go,” I whispered. I leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. She didn’t let go of me. It would’ve been nice if life could’ve stayed like this.

But then, she got pregnant.

I didn’t mind it. She was pretty much my wife at this point. I remembered the day that she told me.

“I’m pregnant,” she said in a small voice. At first, the words didn’t register.

“Pregnant?” I asked.

“I’m having your baby,” Kayako added.

“What?!” I noticed her crying. “What is the matter?” She held her stomach.

“I don’t want this child to be born exiled,” my wife wailed. “It’s only an innocent baby.”

“But aren’t you innocent too?” I asked.

“Yes, but…” she whimpered. She collapsed in my arms. I held her as she wept.

“I will not leave you,” I said. “I will make it so that our baby will be born pure. He will not be under the curse.” Kayako lifted her head.

“How are you going to do that?” she asked. I only kissed her on the forehead.

“Do not have to worry,” I whispered. Kayako cried against my chest.

I took care of my wife during the first pregnancy. I had to learn how to fish and gather the food. I never did such a thing in hell. There was a vast sea of nothing. Pitch black with a castle. No flowers, trees, or anything looking nice. The fields here weren’t that great, but they had color to them. I grew to love breathing in the fresh air. Who knew that hard work felt so good? I felt myself smiling under the hot sun. Kayako looked more beautiful each day.

“What do you think we’ll have?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she said, smiling. Kayako rubbed her large stomach. She gave birth to our first son in December 1268. I think it was a little before Christmas. Or maybe after. I don’t exactly remember. We named him Leo. This was my first time being close up to what the humans called a baby. I didn’t know how to deal with it at first. Leo looked so small and pink when he was first born.

“Would you like to hold him?” Kayako asked.

“Yes,” I said. When I held Leo in my arms, I fell in love. He had the grayest eyes I have ever seen. Could a baby be so beautiful? Kayako and I grew to love our life together in that small cave of a home with our new son. We didn’t get married until 1271. They say that I tricked her into marrying me, but that could be much further than the truth. There was love between us. I just asked her to marry me and Kayako said yes. She wore a sheet as a veil and we said our vows under the deep blue sky. Two more sons followed. Jim was born in 1270. Aven was born two years later. Our home got too small to house three active little boys, but Kayako and I didn’t care. Sure, they drove us mad, but we loved them just the same. We were all just happy together. I could’ve stayed in the living realm with my wife and sons forever.

But knowing my luck, that wasn’t meant to be. Was it?