Lies and Deception
Chapter 4
By: Faye_Valentine00 (Sarah-chan)

"Shhhhh..." Shigure crossed the room and sat down next to me on the bed. Tears were streaming down my face but he just smiled. "Don't cry. You aren't supposed to be getting upset."


"I know." I wiped my eyes and leaned back against my pillows before flashing the Shigure the best smile that I could come up with. "They told you everything?"


He nodded and sighed before giving me a rather stern, fatherly expression. "Everyone is worried about you."


"How is he?" I could hold back the question any longer that was burning in my chest.


"Yuki?" He waited until I nodded before he continued. "I'll tell you another day. I just wanted to see for myself that you were safe." He stood suddenly and turned towards the door. "I should be going."


"No wait!" I leapt up on the bed and grabbed Shigure tightly around the chest. A moment later, I was heard a *poof* and I was hugging a large black dog. "I'm sorry but please tell me how he is. I need to know."


"Okay." Quickly he gathered his clothes into a pile and then settled his dog form down next to me. "I'm sorry that I almost left. Yuki is very depressed. He won't even fight with Kyo or Ayame anymore. Anytime that anyone mentions your name, he is right with hope of any news. He missed you. I think that even just knowing that you are safe would help but I have no clue how to tell him without making him wonder."


"I-I miss him so much. I miss all of you so much. I hate this lying!"


"Hatori told me what Akito said to you and I disagree with how he said the family would react but I still can't go against him."


I nodded my reply.


"My poor Tohru is getting fat! Poor Aya won't know what to do if you can't fit into his costumes anymore!" Shigure suddenly became loud and obnoxious. I assumed he was trying to cheer me up and it worked. I couldn't hold back the giggle that leapt into my throat.


"I'm not fat. I'm pregnant!" I tried to give him a stern look but ended up laughing.


*POOF*


I'd gotten better at this over the years and was able to cover my eyes as soon as Shigure turned back into his human form. It took a moment for him to get redressed but once he did, he tapped my shoulder and smiled down at me.


"Can I come visit you from time to time?"


"Of course. Please do."


"Momiji and Hatori are taking good care of you?"


"Yeah."
"Okay. I am going to tell Yuki that I ran into your friends and that they said that you are doing fine."


I couldn't help but brighten up into the first real smile that I'd had in a while. "Thank you."


We said our good-byes and a few minutes later I was able to sleep more soundly then I had in all the months that I'd lived in this apartment.



"Tohru! Guess what?! Hatori said that you've been doing so good lately that, if you want, today you can go to the store with me and pick out anything you want to have for dinner." His blonde hair bounced wildly as Momiji rattled off the news that had him so excited.


"Really?!" I perked up immediately. I'd been stuck on bedrest for a month now. The only thing that had kept me sane were Momiji's enthusiasm and Shigure's weekly visits. "But what if someone sees us?"


"No, it's okay. Shigure took everyone to the lake this week so it is safe."


"Really?" I couldn't help but wonder how long the family would last there without somebody getting into a fight.


"Yeah ... Well, actually, he took everyone accept Haru but he's working today anyway so it's okay."


"Great! I'd love to go!"


"Yay!" Momiji cheered and then left the room so I could get dressed.


I put on the new outfit that Shigure had bought for me. It was a pair of maternity style denim overalls and a cream colored shirt with flowers on it. I put my hair up with the ribbons that Yuki had given to me on my first white day with the Sohma family and then looked in the mirror. This was the first time that I'd actually dressed up to go out in nearly a month.


"Tohru, you look beautiful. Just like a princess!" Momiji gushed when I walked into he living room.


I could feel my cheeks get warm but I smiled and accepted the compliment. "Thank you."


We went to the store and bought eggs and leek. An omelet suddenly sounded really good. Momiji was a complete gentleman. He carried the basket and opened up ever door we passed through. He also continued to call me by the childhood nickname that he had given me so many years ago. "Princess Tohru."


"Momiji?" The deep voice from behind me made me freeze in my tracks. When I saw Momiji's expression, who'd already turned to see what face belonged to the voice, he'd gotten visibly paler. "What are you doing here, Momiji? I though Shigure had taken everyone to the lake."


"Haru ... I ... Ummm ... I ..." Momiji stumbled over his words until Haru addressed me.


"Tohru?" I didn't turn. I simply nodded my head but I guess from behind Hatsaharu could not tell I was pregnant because the next words that came from his mouth I will never forget. "How could you? Don't you know how worried everyone is about you?! Yuki told me. ... Yuki told me EVERYTHING! How could you just leave after everything?!" I could hear him going into black mode as he spoke. Each word was becoming louder and harsher. "Don't you care?! Are you even LISTENING?!


Tears were now streaming down my face as I allowed him to scream at my back and the color of Momiji's face was now dead white. I didn't know what to say to Haru. He was so mad that I feared that he'd lash out at any moment.


"What the hell is your problem?!" I felt his hand tightly grab my arm and spin me around. "TALK TO M---!" His voice cut off the second he saw me and I could immediately tell that he fell out of his black mode. He just stared at me with a look of sheer disbelief.


I think I may just have fallen over if Momiji hadn't grabbed my arms to steady me. "Haru... I'm sorry. ... I'm so sorry!" Tears flowed down my cheeks like waterfalls. His words and accusations hurt me more then I'd ever imagined possible.


The only way to describe Haru's expression was pure and utter shock. "Oh my God..."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love Haru! ^_^

Next chapter - Explanations!