Disclaimer: I take no claim in the ownership of these characters or the products of Inuyasha, the series or merchandise or anything pertaining to Ms. Takahashi's property.
Learning To Live
Prologue – Walking Away
"I can't believe that jerk!" an angry growl came from the depths of the upturned bedroom.
Clothes covered every surface and drawers were flung open. An open suitcase was propped up on the unmade bed with pant legs and sleeves and socks hanging over the edge. Surrounded by what seemed to be the aftermath of a clothing bomb was a young raven-haired woman pitching skirts, blouses, and jeans into the open suitcase.
Her hair was a mess and her face was contorted into a furious snarl. Pausing for breath in the middle of her angry tirade, she pushed her bangs off of her sweaty face and looked about, sucking air in through her pursed lips. Seeing the product of her reign of destruction, she groaned and flopped onto the clothing and book strewn bed.
"Oh, God…" she muttered into her hands with a sigh. "What have I gotten myself into? Why the hell am I here?"
Propping herself up with an elbow, she glanced at the slender, black leather-banded watch on her wrist. 5:37… If she could finish packing in half an hour and could make it to the bus station by 6:05, she could catch the 6:15 bus back to San Francisco…
Standing up and brushing herself off, plan freshly formed, and with renewed determination, the twenty-five-year-old dumped out the half packed suitcase and started over much more calmly. She didn't have to stay here just to clean up her father's mistakes. He could deal with the repercussions after she'd gotten back home. After all, taking care of that spoiled brat, Inuyasha Taisho, was not her problem.
X
Later that night, leaning against the window of a Grey Hound bus, the young woman reflected on the events leading up to her stay at Taisho Manor and her hasty decision to return home.
'It's not that I didn't enjoy getting away from busy city life,' she thought sullenly.' And most of the staff were very kind and welcoming – especially Sango and Miroku. But…'
With a sigh, she turned away from the window and closed her eyes, massaged her temples gently. It'd been a tough and hectic couple of weeks and she'd been getting headaches frequently. Taking a few sips of water, she settled down for a long ride home. Now she'd finally be able to process how and why she'd been roped into this whole situation…
X
"Okay, Mr. Staten, we're all done her! You're free to go."
"Oh, thank you, Miss Higurashi! I've been feeling so much better these past couple of months!"
The raven-haired specialist beamed at the sixty-year-old man.
"Oh, it was my pleasure, Mr. S! I've really enjoyed our sessions, too! Plus, it is my job."
The two laughed companionably as she helped him walk down the hallway to the sunny front room of the recovery clinic. It was one of their last sessions together before he made as full of a recovery as she could help him with. Thinking about it, the twenty-five-year-old could honestly say she would miss the old man. He reminded her of her grandfather in many ways.
"Well," she began when they came to their destination where his elderly wife and one of his grandchildren stood waiting. "I'll see you in a six weeks. Don't forget to do your exercises and lay off the McDonalds, except the ice cream cones. Those are good."
She winked down at him and waved him off with a smile. Yep, she really would miss him… Turning around, she nodded at the receptionist behind the front desk. But the young woman didn't return the greeting. Frowning, she made her way over to the nervously shifting woman.
"Ayumi? What's the matter?"
"Um… Sorry, Kagome. Your father called while you were with Mr. S. I tried to tell him Wednesdays are your busiest days, but…" she trailed off, twiddling her thumbs and not looking her in the eye.
"Okay… Did he leave me a message?"
Ayumi shook her head glumly. Kagome raised a suspicious eyebrow. Where was this going?
"He said it was urgent, so…" her soft voice drifted off into incoherent mumbles.
"Sorry?"
"He's in your office."
Kagome froze. Did she just hear her right? Her father was in her office?
"How… How long has he been waiting?"
"About half an hour?"
"Oh…"
"I'm sorry, Kagome. I tried to tell him –,"
"No, no. It's okay. Not your fault my father's as stubborn as I am."
She grinned wryly and waved at the woman as she headed off down the hall. Stopping in front of a door marked 'K. Higurashi', she hesitated and took a deep breath.
'Well, might as well get this over with…' she thought as her hand came up to rest on the cold metal of the doorknob.
Stepping into her cool, air-conditioned office, she immediately spotted the just-over middle-aged man with the slicked-back, graying black hair, crisp business suit, and wire-rimmed glasses. Bristling at his hard gaze, she strode over to her disorganized desk as calmly as she could. Once seated, they both stared each other down, neither willing to back down to the other.
Finally, the elder Higurashi sighed and sat back, scrubbing his face with his hands. Kagome leaned back, bobbing a foot and gazing stonily at him, waiting for him to speak. Passing a hand over his thick black hair and another over his forest-green tie, Mr. Higurashi cleared his throat.
"I know we've never been on very good terms –,"
Kagome snorted indignantly. In return, her father shot her an icy glare.
" – but I need to ask you for a favor. I'm in a bit of a pickle."
"Oh," Kagome scoffed. "How long did it take you to admit that?"
"Look, Kagome, I'm willing to let our differences aside. But you've got to be willing to as well."
"You make it sound as if I'm the one crawling to you for help!"
"Just listen for a minute!"
"Oh, yeah, Dad, let's say I agreed to set everything aside and listened to you. Like that's going to make a difference! Why should I help you? I haven't talked to you for years for a reason! You can't just expect me to help you out when you wanted nothing to do with Mom, Grandpa, Souta, or me since I was fourteen! Give me a good reason why it'd be a good idea!"
"I'm your father!"
"Oh, now you're taking credit for it! Sorry, Dad, you're about eleven years too late!"
"Now see here –,"
"No! Sorry for being a bit immature, Dad, but I refuse to help out the man who gave up on me and my family!"
The room fell silent, echoing faintly of Kagome's last words. Father and daughter were both standing, leering at each other over the overflowing desk. Their staring match seemed to go on forever, neither relenting to the other. This time; however, it was Kagome who stepped back and sighed, turning her back to him.
"Please. Just leave," her quiet, strained voice was devoid of emotion and stress weary.
Sighing, her father set a manila envelope on her desk. Turning to leave, he paused in the door and spoke to her rigid back.
"I'm sorry, Kagome. Nut I really need your help. It's a matter of life and death to me and you're the only person I knew I could turn to and trust… If you change your mind, give me a call."
And with that, her father was gone, just like so many years before, a week after her fourteenth birthday. Kagome only moved to look around at he cluttered and cramped office long after her father had left. Moving to sit behind her desk, she hesitantly picked up the heavy envelope and unfolded the flap, setting the next few months' events into motion.
Whew! I'm done! Sorry to anyone who's been waiting for anything new from me! I'm in the middle of sorting through everything and figuring out the details of my new computer. Plus, these past few months have been really hectic for me. I just finished with school last week and I had to deal with choir concerts, auditions, call-backs, and the shock and relief of finding out I made it for next year, as well as Finals the last week of school and my brother's moving out in two weeks for college. I should be updating Casing Off and Headlines sometime this week and posting a new one sometime soon, too. I hope you enjoyed the first installment of Learning To Live! The 'first chapter' chapter should be up sometime soon, as well. Sorry again! – Hope Swings