Hello everyone, it's me again.
This is probably the darkest fic
I've ever written. And I can't
promise that it's good, but it
is something I felt I had to get
out. The story is based on the
song "The Day We Hit the Coast"
as covered by Emm Gryner on
her most recent album, Girl Versions.
I don't own the song, cover or
original. Nor do I own, Sailor Moon.
I also ask your forgiveness if my
use of Japanese is incorrect. Bear
with me, I think the story is worth it.
In loving memory of Jennifer Nicole Parham,
Leon Brown, Marian Sampson Brown, and
Senator Emily Couric.
And I'll Remember That Day the Most
Usagi sat down in her room. It
was just so hard. As she reached to
take off her earrings, she stopped.
She couldn't deal with it. Not here, not
now.
She walked to the phone, picked it
up, and dialed a familar number. A male
voice answered.
Usagi took a deep breath and tried
to keep her voice from shaking. "Mamo-chan,
can you come get me? I ... just need to get
away."
*****
As she sat on the beach with Mamoru,
still in her black dress, Usagi's mind drifted
to a happier time...
"Naru-chan! You have to come! It won't be
the same unless all fo my friends come." Usagi
whined to her friend. She was planning a huge
beach trip for all of her friends and she had
invited Naru. Naru seemed shocked by the invitation,
in part because she hadn't really talked to Naru in
awhile.
"Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way?" Naru
asked.
Usagi looked at her friend. "You're joking,
right?...Naru-chan, you are my best friend! I
know I haven't been around as much...but that's
just more reason for you to come. Unless, of course,
you want to go the rock exhibit with your boyfriend."
Naru shuttered, "Okay, okay. I'm in."
Usagi smiled, thinking about it now. Naru
did come and they did have fun. Naru laughed at
Usagi's antics as she took Ami's Physics book and
order her to have fun. Naru walked on the rocks
in the water with the group...and managed not
to get knocked into the water when both Usagi and
Minako slipped. She even helped little Hotaru
build a sandcastle.
Usagi's eyes began to tear up. That's
what made this week so much harder. After
the trip to the beach, Usagi went on vacation
with her family. Although she kept in touch with
the senshi over the vaction, she didn't contact
Naru, planning to talk to her as soon as she got
back to Toyko. But when she arrived at Naru's
after her trip...she found out that Naru had
died the night before.
Usagi began to cry in earnest now. Mamoru
pulled her into a hug, doing the only thing he
knew to do.
*****
(5 years later)
It was supposed to get easier. At least
thats what Usagi thought. It never ends and then
you die. Isn't that what Jen-chan said? Well, it
wasn't ending.
She and Mamoru has been so happy when they
found out that she was pregnant. A baby. They were
supposed to be a family. And, if it was a girl, they
were going to name her Naru...
But then it happened. Miscarriage. Usagi
hated that word. It was like it was her fault.
That she carried the baby wrong. She never even
got to hold her baby. Her daughter.
Usagi began to cry again. She hated this;
she hated the tension in the house. She hated
playing happy for her friends. She hated being told
"Get over it. Better this than the child die after
it was born."
Again, Usagi walked to the phone. Again,
she dialed a familar, but much longer, number. This
time a female answered groggily.
"I'm sorry to call so late, Jen-chan, but
I have to talk to someone."
*****
(12 years later)
Maybe bad things do happen in threes.
Usagi pondered such thoughts as Mamoru drove
her to the mountains. When she had begged to
go hiking this morning, she knew she had
shocked him. She had been walking around
in a dpression since their return from the
United States almost a year ago. But she had
to go hiking...it was the best memory of Jennifer
that she had.
About 2 years before, she and Mamoru had
gone to the US for three weeks. Mamoru had business
in Virginia, but Usagi went solely to see Jen-chan.
Jennifer had just be elected to the position
of state senator. Usagi didn't exactly understand
what she did, but she knew it was important.
Jennifer and her husband Leaon had given
Usagi and Mamoru a place to stay in Richmond and
had kept the Chibas entertained during their stay.
One Saturday, while they were ther, Jennifer
came down the stairs and announced. "Okay, everyone
in jeans and sneakers. We're going hiking."
Usagi stared at her. "But Jen-chan, you hate
the great outdoors."
Jennifer laughed, "That's usually true, Usa.
But it's National Trail Day and there's this great
trail in Charlottesville...come on, it will be
fun."
Usagi sighed. It had been fun. The running
from bugs. The first time they got lost. The food. The second
time they got lost. The leaves in Jennifer's hair.
Jennifer's reaction upon discovering the leaves in her
hair. Usagi's eyes watered. That's what made last
year so hard.
That Friday last year, Usagi had been home.
She'd actually just walked in the door when the
phone rang.
"Moshi moshi?"
"May I please speak to Usagi?"
A little startled by the use of English, she replied
"Speaking."
"Usagi, this is Leon."
Usagi's face lit up. "Leon! What a surprise!
How's Jen-chan? Is she there?"
There was a pause. Then Leon said, "That's why I'm
calling... I-" He stopped suddenly. Then he said. "If
I paid for the airplane tickets, can you and Mamoru
fly out here tomorrow?"
"Why? What happened?" Usagi was beginning to feel
uneasy.
Leon began mumble, "How can I say this? Dammit,
why should I have to say it? I can't-"
"Leon, what happened? Where is Jen-chan?"
A sigh and a ... sob was heard through the
phone line. Finally, Leon began talking. "It's about
Jennifer. She was shot and killed as she left captial
grounds." Leon sighed. "Usagi, I need your help. I
can't handle this alone. I can barely take care of
myself, much less little Renee. And I've been fighting
with the Democrats for the past 2 days. They want her
body in state at the capital for a day. They want
to declare a state-wide day of mourning. Usagi, she
didn't even want people wearing black at her funeral!
I can't -"
Usagi was in shock. "Jen-chan was...is..."
That's when she burst into tears. She was crying
so hard she didn't hear her husband walk in the door,
nor did she really process that he took the phone
from her and finished the conversation.
Getting to the US was a blur. Seeing Leon
so upset, not to mention Jennifer's okaa-san, caused
Usagi to cry even more. And after that, the depression
set it.
But today she decided that Naru-chan, chibi-Naru,
and Jen-chan wouldn't want her to be depressed.
Although changed, she was bound and determined to be
the Usagi they knew again. But to do that, she needed
a road trip.
Usagi smiled as she remembered a song Jennifer
sang. She said it was a re-make, but she liked this
version. It was sung by some Canadian...Gryner-san?.
Usagi could almost hear it...
...And I remember that day the most. The day we hit
the coast.
- the end -
Yes, the "Jen-chan" in this story is the same
Jennifer-san from They Know.
Hope you liked it. Let me know what you think.
~December~
This is probably the darkest fic
I've ever written. And I can't
promise that it's good, but it
is something I felt I had to get
out. The story is based on the
song "The Day We Hit the Coast"
as covered by Emm Gryner on
her most recent album, Girl Versions.
I don't own the song, cover or
original. Nor do I own, Sailor Moon.
I also ask your forgiveness if my
use of Japanese is incorrect. Bear
with me, I think the story is worth it.
In loving memory of Jennifer Nicole Parham,
Leon Brown, Marian Sampson Brown, and
Senator Emily Couric.
And I'll Remember That Day the Most
Usagi sat down in her room. It
was just so hard. As she reached to
take off her earrings, she stopped.
She couldn't deal with it. Not here, not
now.
She walked to the phone, picked it
up, and dialed a familar number. A male
voice answered.
Usagi took a deep breath and tried
to keep her voice from shaking. "Mamo-chan,
can you come get me? I ... just need to get
away."
*****
As she sat on the beach with Mamoru,
still in her black dress, Usagi's mind drifted
to a happier time...
"Naru-chan! You have to come! It won't be
the same unless all fo my friends come." Usagi
whined to her friend. She was planning a huge
beach trip for all of her friends and she had
invited Naru. Naru seemed shocked by the invitation,
in part because she hadn't really talked to Naru in
awhile.
"Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way?" Naru
asked.
Usagi looked at her friend. "You're joking,
right?...Naru-chan, you are my best friend! I
know I haven't been around as much...but that's
just more reason for you to come. Unless, of course,
you want to go the rock exhibit with your boyfriend."
Naru shuttered, "Okay, okay. I'm in."
Usagi smiled, thinking about it now. Naru
did come and they did have fun. Naru laughed at
Usagi's antics as she took Ami's Physics book and
order her to have fun. Naru walked on the rocks
in the water with the group...and managed not
to get knocked into the water when both Usagi and
Minako slipped. She even helped little Hotaru
build a sandcastle.
Usagi's eyes began to tear up. That's
what made this week so much harder. After
the trip to the beach, Usagi went on vacation
with her family. Although she kept in touch with
the senshi over the vaction, she didn't contact
Naru, planning to talk to her as soon as she got
back to Toyko. But when she arrived at Naru's
after her trip...she found out that Naru had
died the night before.
Usagi began to cry in earnest now. Mamoru
pulled her into a hug, doing the only thing he
knew to do.
*****
(5 years later)
It was supposed to get easier. At least
thats what Usagi thought. It never ends and then
you die. Isn't that what Jen-chan said? Well, it
wasn't ending.
She and Mamoru has been so happy when they
found out that she was pregnant. A baby. They were
supposed to be a family. And, if it was a girl, they
were going to name her Naru...
But then it happened. Miscarriage. Usagi
hated that word. It was like it was her fault.
That she carried the baby wrong. She never even
got to hold her baby. Her daughter.
Usagi began to cry again. She hated this;
she hated the tension in the house. She hated
playing happy for her friends. She hated being told
"Get over it. Better this than the child die after
it was born."
Again, Usagi walked to the phone. Again,
she dialed a familar, but much longer, number. This
time a female answered groggily.
"I'm sorry to call so late, Jen-chan, but
I have to talk to someone."
*****
(12 years later)
Maybe bad things do happen in threes.
Usagi pondered such thoughts as Mamoru drove
her to the mountains. When she had begged to
go hiking this morning, she knew she had
shocked him. She had been walking around
in a dpression since their return from the
United States almost a year ago. But she had
to go hiking...it was the best memory of Jennifer
that she had.
About 2 years before, she and Mamoru had
gone to the US for three weeks. Mamoru had business
in Virginia, but Usagi went solely to see Jen-chan.
Jennifer had just be elected to the position
of state senator. Usagi didn't exactly understand
what she did, but she knew it was important.
Jennifer and her husband Leaon had given
Usagi and Mamoru a place to stay in Richmond and
had kept the Chibas entertained during their stay.
One Saturday, while they were ther, Jennifer
came down the stairs and announced. "Okay, everyone
in jeans and sneakers. We're going hiking."
Usagi stared at her. "But Jen-chan, you hate
the great outdoors."
Jennifer laughed, "That's usually true, Usa.
But it's National Trail Day and there's this great
trail in Charlottesville...come on, it will be
fun."
Usagi sighed. It had been fun. The running
from bugs. The first time they got lost. The food. The second
time they got lost. The leaves in Jennifer's hair.
Jennifer's reaction upon discovering the leaves in her
hair. Usagi's eyes watered. That's what made last
year so hard.
That Friday last year, Usagi had been home.
She'd actually just walked in the door when the
phone rang.
"Moshi moshi?"
"May I please speak to Usagi?"
A little startled by the use of English, she replied
"Speaking."
"Usagi, this is Leon."
Usagi's face lit up. "Leon! What a surprise!
How's Jen-chan? Is she there?"
There was a pause. Then Leon said, "That's why I'm
calling... I-" He stopped suddenly. Then he said. "If
I paid for the airplane tickets, can you and Mamoru
fly out here tomorrow?"
"Why? What happened?" Usagi was beginning to feel
uneasy.
Leon began mumble, "How can I say this? Dammit,
why should I have to say it? I can't-"
"Leon, what happened? Where is Jen-chan?"
A sigh and a ... sob was heard through the
phone line. Finally, Leon began talking. "It's about
Jennifer. She was shot and killed as she left captial
grounds." Leon sighed. "Usagi, I need your help. I
can't handle this alone. I can barely take care of
myself, much less little Renee. And I've been fighting
with the Democrats for the past 2 days. They want her
body in state at the capital for a day. They want
to declare a state-wide day of mourning. Usagi, she
didn't even want people wearing black at her funeral!
I can't -"
Usagi was in shock. "Jen-chan was...is..."
That's when she burst into tears. She was crying
so hard she didn't hear her husband walk in the door,
nor did she really process that he took the phone
from her and finished the conversation.
Getting to the US was a blur. Seeing Leon
so upset, not to mention Jennifer's okaa-san, caused
Usagi to cry even more. And after that, the depression
set it.
But today she decided that Naru-chan, chibi-Naru,
and Jen-chan wouldn't want her to be depressed.
Although changed, she was bound and determined to be
the Usagi they knew again. But to do that, she needed
a road trip.
Usagi smiled as she remembered a song Jennifer
sang. She said it was a re-make, but she liked this
version. It was sung by some Canadian...Gryner-san?.
Usagi could almost hear it...
...And I remember that day the most. The day we hit
the coast.
- the end -
Yes, the "Jen-chan" in this story is the same
Jennifer-san from They Know.
Hope you liked it. Let me know what you think.
~December~