Prologue
Chapter theme song: "Stay with me" by: Danity Kane
"You can't do that, Kato!"
"The hell I can't, Phoebe." I watched hopelessly as he shoved me out the way to stride into the parlor. "I'm her father and I feel it is best if she lives me with in Tokyo."
"No!" I roared, marching up to him to meet his undying glare. "Haruhi just began to adjust to life in the states. She just started school a month ago and has made a bunch of new friends. Think of her life, Kato!"
"I am!" he quipped, shoving past me again to storm into the kitchen. I watched silently as he went into the fridge to raid the shelves. He took out a carton of cranberry juice, grabbing a glass from the pantry above. "Look," He paused, running a single hand through her hair. "I don't want to fight, Phoebe. Can you just agree to this one thing please?"
"Kato, you want to have Haruhi live one year in Japan with you then relocate here back to the states with me every other year? Do you hear yourself right now?"
"I do" he took a sip of his juice. "I don't find it fair that my daughter lives here in the states with you 24/7 when we have joint custody. I can only see her every so often."
"No one is keeping her from you, Kato."
He took one last sip before returning the carton back into the fridge. "I never said you were. I said I don't think it's fair that you get to have her here in America while I am in Japan. I don't come out here often, Phoebe."
"You can catch a flight here, Kato." I barked, getting highly irritated. I made a conscious effort to keep my voice down to avoid Haruhi from hearing us. She was sleeping upstairs and had a nasty habit of eavesdropping on adult conversations. "You can even avoid hotel costs by staying here."
"How about you come to Tokyo, Phoebe." He snapped, getting irritated with my combative spirit. One of the main reasons we divorced was not only his infidelity, but because I had a forbidden flame sparked back up with seeing Gerald again. He was used to me being very passive and nonchalant about it all, allowing him to be the dominant figure in our relationship. He was unfamiliar with the witty, quick-to-snap-back woman that emerged from the ashes of a burned, young girl. "You are so quick for me to shell out a couple thousand."
"I have no money, Kato!" I screamed, getting angry. "You left me without a cent to my name remember? Or how about you cutting off my tuition payments and having me drop out of school to become a full-time stay at home mother. Did you forget that?"
He huffed, turning his back on me to retrieve his coat from the back of the kitchenette chair. Wrapping his scarf around his neck and putting his leather gloves in his left hand, he made his way towards the front door. Clearly we were not going to come to a mutual agreement in one day and it was best we separate before we really got into a full-fledged argument. "This is going nowhere."
"I concur."
"I rather we be able to sit down like adults and have a conversation that does not involve either of us screaming our heads off over a situation beyond our control."
"My sentiments exactly." I spoke proudly, speeding up to walk his pace in order to beat him to the front door. I found it funny how love could turn into legitimate hate in such a short period of time. My divorce with Kato was bittersweet, but a much needed release for me. Ever since Gerald left Japan and I decided to patch things up with Kato for the sake of Haruhi, things have not been remotely the same. It was made evident where my feelings truly belonged and the true nature of Kato Santori. Kato was a damn good father to Haruhi, but a lousy husband. He was one of those men that just were cut out for a monogamous relationship. After much counseling, therapy, and prayer, I finally called it quits and filed for divorce. Although Kato refuses to admit it, he knew it was an inevitable choice I had to make not only for the sake of our marriage, but for our family as well. Haruhi being raised in a household where it was filled with constant screaming and bickering about the same old nonsense was not a healthy environment to raise an impressionable child in. "What time do you want to meet this week to discuss this further? You leave next week."
"I don't." he flatly whispered. He retrieved his hat from his left jacket pocket before opening the door to be met with the harsh winds of late winter Hillwood. "I'll see you in court."
COURT!?
That had me taken aback. "C-court?" he nodded. "What for?!"
"To get a judge mandated order allowing my daughter to live with BOTH her parents in alternating years. I know it's a tough situation but I deserve to see Haruhi just as much as you do."
"You bastard!" I slapped him, hard. The cool, snow-kissed air tugged lightly at his burning flesh. I watched him slowly register what had just happened before he retaliated; grabbing me by my wrist to pin me against the side closet that rested near the door. I tried kicking him in his groin but his masculine strength had me pinned good to the wall. I rested helpless against the wooden frame; taking numerous blows to both my face and stomach, screaming in pain and agony. I clutched my rib cage, dropping to the floor like a weeping wallflower once he released his grasp. He kicked me for good measure before grabbing a handful of hair, dragging me to the carpeted steps of the stairway.
There was a small creaking sound, both Kato and I immediately looking up to meet the astonished gaze of Haruhi. "Daddy, what are you doing to Mommy?!"
"Mommy and Daddy where just messing around, sweetheart." He lied, watching intently as our daughter descended the steps; clutching her stuffed bear. "Go back to bed."
"You were hurting Oka-san."
I shook my head, feeling Kato release his death grip of my hair. "Daddy did not mean it, Kiwi." I called her by her nickname. "We were just talking. Go back upstairs."
My voice remained gentle. Haruhi scanned both of us, diverting her gaze between Kato and I, before retreating back to her room. I knew she would be posted by the air duct to listen in more carefully. I looked at Kato, eyes still filled to the brim with malice and unvented rage. He stood, looking down on me, huffing lightly before he turned to leave. I watched him walk towards his truck parked on my driveway, leaving footprints in the freshly fallen snow. Once out of sight, I closed and locked the front door, retreated to my room, and collapsed into my bed. I began weeping, fear of losing the only person I had left in my life. After my fallout with my mother and learning of my father's cryptic past, I cut them out of both Haruhi's life as well as mine. My mother would still call every so often, even without a response, to check on Haruhi and I while my father remained M.I.A. With the divorce of Kato, it left us-obviously- on not so good terms with one another. The only person I had in my life that was family was the only person that I loved more than life itself, my precious daughter, Haruhi.
I wiped away a few stray tears long enough to pick up the receiver of the house phone to dial Helga. It rang a couple of times without an answer and just when I was ready to hang up, she answered.
"Crimeny, who the hell is calling at two in the fucking morning!?"
I sniffled. "I'm sorry, Helga. I can call back later."
"Phoebes?" her voice softened, sounding more alert now that sleep was now forgotten. "You ok?"
"No, I got into another fight with Kato."
She sighed, silently swearing over the phone. "Do I have to give him a taste of ol' Betsey?"
I chuckled lightly at the thought. Kato may be strong enough to man handle me but certainly not Helga. "Helga, you are eight months pregnant."
"So!" she interrupted. "I dare him to try something. Ol' douche bag will have another thing coming. What a sleezeball."
"Helga, as much as I appreciate you right now, I need to talk to you about something important."
I listened as she turned on her bed side light and got comfortable. "What is it, Phoebes? What is going on?"
I took me a few minutes to finally say it- in between me sobbing heavily and wiping away trails of snot. "Kato wants to take Haruhi away from me."
"What?!" she shrieked, waking a startled Arnold. She shushed him before he had a chance to ask questions. "What the hell?"
I nodded. "He said he wants to take me to court to get a judge to sign off on him being allowed to take Haruhi away for an extended period of time. He wants her to live in Tokyo!"
"But she just got settled into her new school just a few weeks ago." She paused, sucking in her breath before calling him a slew of obscenities. "What a scumbag! Can he do that?"
"We have joint custody of Haruhi but I have sole physical custody and he plans to challenge that ruling by taking me to court." I began to ball my eyes out again, feeling a headache come on; but I did not care. I was not willing to lose my baby. She was all I had left. "Helga I don't know what to do? I have no money, I work a mediocre job as a part-time waitress, and I am only living in the fancy house because of the child support payments Kato gives and the generosity of both you and Arnold. I can't afford a lawyer, let alone a good one that is going to win my case."
Helga remained silent, whispering to Arnold for a short while before calling out to me. I was beginning to think she fell asleep on me. "Phoebes, you still there?"
"Yes, Helga, I am here."
She sighed. "Go grab yourself a nice glass of wine, some chocolate, some fruit, and, hell, break out your toy if you have to. Don't let that moron get you all stressed out. Haruhi is not going anywhere, I promise. I think I have a damn good lawyer in mind that I know would win your case."
A/N: You kittens didn't think this was over did you? I am such the trickster ^_^ This will be the FINAL story to the 'Purple Elephant' series. If you all are not caught up, I suggest you read both my preceding works before embarking on this one. It'll make a lot more sense. Also, the songs that inspire each chapter in bold above so feel free to check it out on the tube of the you. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's just a small teaser of what is to come. If you all know me by now you know I am full of twists and turns so buckle up for the final ride. I believe this one will outdo my other masterpieces. I wish you all a safe and happy weekend. I am off to have dinner with my husband. Enjoy my dark, twisted fantasies
SensuallyPassionate
