Akiko was pacing in her room, waiting for Shiraishi to be ready to go, when her cellphone rang. She picked it up, grimacing as she saw the calling number. Her mother. She thought about not answering, but decided it would be worse to have her mother calling her while she was helping with the purification.

“Hello, mother?â€

“Akiko. Why do you never call?â€ Akiko felt brief stabs of guilt and irritation, although irritation was stronger.

“I’m very busy at the moment.â€

“Busy? Doing what? You don’t have a proper job.â€

“I’m working at the shrine, mother. I’m a miko, and I have duties.â€

“Yes, but they’re hardly that important.â€

<em>If only you knew, mother,</em> Akiko thought, but she knew she couldn’t tell her mother everything that was going on. She had enough trouble accepting that Akiko wasn’t just working in an office while looking for a husband; talk of kami and curses would lose her completely.

“Anyway, why did you call?â€

“Isn’t it enough to want to talk to my only daughter?â€ Akiko could tell from the tone that her mother did have something particular in mind.

“Of course that’s enough. But I still think you have something on your mind.â€

“Humph. Well, yes. I have some good news!â€ She was trying to sound enthusiastic, but Akiko instantly suspected that she wasn’t going to like this “good newsâ€.

“Yes?â€ She tried not to sound too negative, but she was painfully aware that she hadn’t kept all the suspicion out of her voice.

“I’ve organised a miai for you here, this weekend. I’ll pay for the train tickets, and you can stay in your old room for a couple of nights.â€

“Mother! I am not going to a marriage interview.â€

“Akiko! How can you say that before you’ve even met him? He’s a very nice young man, excellent family, I’ve known them for years.â€

“I don’t care. I have other things to do here. I’m not going to drop them to go all the way home to meet some random man you think I should marry.â€

“Akiko, you have to think about your future.â€

“I am!â€ Akiko realised that she was almost shouting, and took a deep breath to calm down. “I am thinking hard about my future, and I’m not going to marry someone I hardly know.â€

“You aren’t getting any younger; you’ll lose your chance.â€

“Lots of women get married in their thirties these days.â€

“Your <em>thirties?â€</em> Her mother almost screeched it. “How long would I have to wait for grandchildren?â€

“Oh, for goodness sake. Maybe I’ll never get married.â€

“You’d throw your life away?â€

“There’s more to life than getting married.â€ As she said it, Akiko realised that she actually believed it. There were other things she could do with her life, things that didn’t involve getting married.

“But nothing so important! Nothing that means anything if you aren’t married!â€

“Mother, do you really think that?â€ Akiko was annoyed at the blatant manipulation.

“Yes. Of course.â€ Her mother sounded genuinely puzzled, which brought Akiko up short. Did she <em>really</em> believe that?

“Well, I don’t. I think I could have a good life without getting married.â€

“But…â€ At that point Shiraishi appeared in the doorway, and Akiko realised it was time to go.

“I’m sorry, mother. I have to go. And I can’t attend the miai. Good bye.â€ She hung up before her mother could say any more, and then turned off her phone. She saw that the priest was watching her from the doorway, but she turned away as soon as she noticed Akiko had noticed.

“Shall we go?â€ she asked.