Taken By Surprise

	Flipping through the small assortment of dresses hanging 
in her closet, Rei sighed, wishing that she didn’t have to go to 
her father’s house for dinner. She could think of a thousand other 
ways she would rather spend her Friday night than making forced, 
uncomfortable small talk with Hino Ryoji, but he claimed he had an 
important announcement to tell make, so she didn’t have much 
choice in the matter.

	At least she wouldn’t be the only one there. The fact that 
Ami and her mother were also invited made the whole night seem 
like it may be bearable, if not exactly enjoyable, although Rei 
still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the idea of her father 
dating Dr. Mizuno Saeko.

	The two of them had been seeing each other for about a 
year now, after coincidentally meeting each other at a benefit for 
the hospital where Dr. Mizuno worked. As they were both busy 
single parents with little time for their children -- or in her 
father's case, none at all -- neither had realized their daughters 
knew each other until they decided it was time for their families 
to meet. Rei could still remember the utter surprise she felt when 
the maitre d’ led her to her father’s table and she saw him 
sitting with Ami and her mother, a feeling she knew Ami had 
shared.

	After the initial shock of it all wore off, Ami had 
accepted the fact that their parents were dating rather well, but 
acceptance had not come so easily to Rei. It wasn’t that she 
didn’t like Dr. Mizuno; the few times the four of them had gone 
out together, Rei had liked Ami’s mother very much. However, as 
unreasonable as it was, Rei couldn’t help but feel like her father 
was betraying her deceased mother by moving on with another woman, 
even though her mother had died well over ten years ago.

	Rei wiped away a rogue tear that managed to roll down her 
cheek, scolding herself for the moment of weakness, then selected 
a basic black sheath to wear to dinner. Noticing the time, she 
quickly dressed, accessorizing the dress with a strand of her 
mother’s pearls, then headed outside, where the car her father had 
sent was already waiting to drive her to the house.

	The ride to the house was short and uneventful. As the car 
pulled up in front of her father’s residence, Rei inhaled deeply, 
preparing herself for what was to come, whatever it was. The 
chauffeur started to get out of the car to open her door for her, 
but Rei motioned for him to stay put, opening her door herself and 
walking up to entrance of the house.

	A maid Rei didn’t recognized answered the door and took 
Rei’s coat. She informed Rei that her father was waiting for her 
in the parlor before scurrying off.

	Her father was the only one there, glancing up from his 
newspaper when Rei entered the room. Evidently, Dr. Mizuno and Ami 
were running late, which annoyed Rei. She was hoping that she 
wouldn’t have to be alone with her father. Though their cold 
relationship had thawed somewhat since the day at the cemetery 
nearly three years ago when they had finally discussed her 
mother’s death and the resentment Rei felt toward him over what 
she saw as his abandonment of his family in favor of his political 
career, she was far from being a daddy’s girl.

	"Rei, welcome," her father said, setting his paper aside 
and standing from his chair to greet her. He made no move to hug 
her or kiss her like other fathers might do, but he did give her a 
small smile. "I’m glad you could make it."

	"You asked, so I came," Rei replied, plopping down on the 
couch. "Ami and Mizuno-sensei aren’t here yet?"

	Her father sat back down and shook his head. "I imagine 
Saeko was held up at the hospital. She and her daughter should be 
here soon. Would you like something to drink while we wait?"

	Rei declined the offer, and the two of them sat in 
silence. As usual, neither had much to say to the other, but Rei 
supposed it was better than before, when all she had to say to him 
were insults and angry words. While they waited for Ami and her 
mother to arrive, Rei started to wonder exactly what kind of 
announcement her father planned to make, especially if he had 
invited Dr. Mizuno and Ami, too. Perhaps it had something to do 
with running for a Diet seat. Rei normally didn’t pay much 
attention to politics, but she knew enough that her father was 
considered a front-runner for the empty seat in his district, 
despite not having formally thrown his hat in the ring yet.

	She didn’t get the chance to think about it for long, 
though. About ten minutes after Rei arrived, the doorbell rang 
again, and Ami and her mother joined them in the parlor, Dr. 
Mizuno apologizing profusely for their tardiness. 

	"Hi, Rei-chan. Do you mind if I sit down?" Ami asked, 
polite as always.

	Rei rolled her eyes and patted the seat on the couch 
beside her. "Knock yourself out," she answered, frowning slightly 
as she caught a sight of her father chastely kissing Dr. Mizuno on 
the cheek. "You know, no matter how many times I see them 
together, it always weirds me out."

	"It is a bit strange, I suppose," Ami agreed, "but my 
mother seems very happy with your father."

	"Are you sure something’s not wrong with her? Maybe she 
needs to have her head examined."

	Ami shot her a look that said she did not appreciate the 
suggestion that her mother was mentally unstable, even if it was 
meant as a joke, but it was something Rei had wondered ever since 
she found out about the relationship. No, she didn’t honestly 
think Dr. Mizuno was out of her mind for getting involved with her 
father, but she couldn’t see the attraction. Her father was no 
prize bachelor. He was a middle-aged, workaholic politician, who 
rarely ever expressed emotion and who was about as funny as a 
piece of lint -- certainly no Prince Charming.

	Then again, Rei had little interest in love and romance, 
so maybe the whole thing was just beyond her comprehension.

	"So, anyway," Rei said, changing the subject, "does your 
mother have any idea why my father asked us all here tonight? He 
didn’t tell me anything at all."

	"I think she does, but she hasn’t told me anything."

	"What do you mean?"

	"Mama just seems…happy," Ami explained. "On the drive over 
here, she couldn’t stop smiling. She had that look on her face 
that Usagi-chan always gets when she‘s thinking of Mamoru-san."

	Rei wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t like the sound of 
that. "You don’t think they’re going to announce--"

	However, before Rei could finish asking her question, the 
maid reappeared to announce that dinner was served. The four of 
them moved to the less formal dining room, her father and Dr. 
Mizuno sitting together on one side of the table, while she and 
Ami took the seats on the other side.

	It was obvious that her father intended for tonight to be 
a very special night. The table had been beautifully set with a 
red silk tablecloth, a rose-filled centerpiece, a couple of 
candles, and his finest china. The lights were turned down low, 
giving the room a vague romantic atmosphere, and, as the maid 
brought out their dinner, Rei noticed the food was all things Dr. 
Mizuno had mentioned were her favorites on previous outings.

	"Ryoji, what a beautiful table," Dr. Mizuno complimented. 
"You didn’t have to go through so much trouble."

	"It was no problem at all," Rei’s father said, giving his 
significant other a smile that Rei thought seemed out of place on 
his normally serious face. "Nanako-san did all of the preparation. 
I just wanted to make this a night to remember."

	"Well, she did a wonderful job. You must thank her for 
me."

	"I will."

	It took all of Rei’s willpower not to roll her eyes at the 
exchange. Seriously, who was this man sitting across from her, who 
went through so much trouble to impress a woman? She didn’t 
remember him acting like this when her mother was still alive, a 
thought that turned her faint amusement to anger. 

	"Papa, why all this fuss?" Rei demanded to know, unable to 
keep quiet any longer. If what she suspected was going to happen 
was true, she didn‘t want to draw it out any longer. "What is this 
big announcement you have to make?"

	Her father frowned. "Rei, we’ve only just begun dinner. We 
were hoping to wait until dessert to tell you and Ami-chan our big 
news."

	"We?"

	He glanced over at Dr. Mizuno, who smiled. "Ryoji, if Rei
-chan really wants to know, I don’t see why we can’t make the 
announcement now," she said. "I don’t mind." 

	"Are you sure?" he asked, and she nodded, setting down her 
fork to pull a thin gold chain out from underneath her blouse.

	Hanging from the chain was a ring: a princess-cut 
solitaire diamond set in platinum.

	Rei didn’t have to ask what it meant.

	Abruptly standing up from her chair, Rei ran out of the 
room.

DISCLAIMER: "Sailor Moon" is the property of Takeuchi Naoko. 

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Comments and criticisms can be sent to me at 
ElysionDream@aol.com. This story is actually a short series of 
vignettes that I thought worked well together. Written for the 
sm_monthly community at Livejournal (Theme: Announcement) and was 
the winner of Most Original for August 2007.