Chapter 6: Admonitions
"Nolly!" My mother lunged at me with a bear hug. I reluctantly returned her tight embrace. I was glad she agreed to come here by herself. My father was still bitter about the argument we had a few days ago, and I did not want him anywhere near Mai. The last thing I wanted was for Mai to be alone with my father. "I never thought I'd be in your home again. So, where's your lovely wife?"
"She's in the kitchen, but you should know-"
"Naru, who's at the..." Mai walked into the living room and then froze when she saw my mother. "...door?"
"Mai, you remember my mother, Luella Davis."
She continued to stare, but quickly broke her gaze when she realized we had a guest. "H-Hai, I do." She bowed slightly. "Konichiwa, Davis-san."
"Oh, come here!" My mom practically buried Mai in her arms, but she did so cautiously because of the bulge of a stomach she had. I cringed as I watched my mother cinch my wife. "We're family. From now on, call me Luella. Or better yet, mom!"
"O-Okay." Mai somehow found her way out of my mother's arms. "Excuse me, Luella. I need to talk to your impossible son for a moment." She grabbed my arm and led me into the hallway. "Naru, why is your mother here?"
"I invited her over so she can watch you."
Her mouth opened agape. "I'm not a child, Naru," she seethed. "Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I can't look after myself!" She suddenly paused. "Your father's not waiting outside, is he?"
"No, I asked my mother to come without him."
"Why-"
"You have an appointment today, don't you?"
"Yes, but I don-"
"I'm going to see Masako today," I informed her, "and I need someone to be here with you. I won't be here to protect you if she does anything erratic. Besides, this will be a good time for you to get to know your mother-in-law. I'm sure she'll be excited to see your ultrasound."
Mai had a pensive look on her face. "Can your mother perform any form of protection?"
"Not really."
She gawked at me again. "Then wouldn't it be better to call Bou-san or Ayako, or maybe even John?"
"Is everything alright?" My mother joined us in the hallway. "I heard shouting."
"Everything's fine, mother," I assured. "Well, I best be on my way."
"But Naru-"
I kissed Mai before she could say anymore. I embraced her securely and whispered in her ear, "Everything will be fine. Please bear with me. I need to get rid of Mitsuki quickly before she can do anything to you or Megumi." I kissed again and cupped her cheek. "I'll be back soon."
She nodded. "Alright." She kissed my cheek, which felt a little tense. She had nothing to worry about, yet Mai was always the type to be concerned all the time. "Be careful."
"You too." I squeezed her hand reassuringly before heading out to the car.
Going to the hospital might not be the smartest thing to do right now, I thought. My mother being there might not be the best protection, either. Takigawa, Lin, or John could've been better options, but my mother was more erudite in the paranormal profession than all of them. Reinforcements would've been nice, but none of them knew the situation at hand; Mitsuki was going to stay confidential. And the others were still oblivious of my true identity.
As I drove to hospital, I began to plot my primary actions as soon as I saw Masako. She knew from the start that she was possessed; I could tell in her eyes before she pushed me from my almost demise. She couldn't tell me, though. Mitsuki was preventing her from doing so. Of course, I couldn't look too conspicuous visiting her. I didn't want Mitsuki to know I knew she had acquired Masako's being. She didn't have complete control from what I understood, however, I didn't know how much time I had before she did and Masako would be completely lost.
As soon as I arrived at the hospital, I went to the nurse sitting at the front desk asked for her room. She had another nurse lead me there. Inside the room, I saw Masako sitting up against cushioned pillows, reading a book. When she saw me enter, a smile crept on her face, which was both of pleasure and iniquity. The nurse left us alone, oblivious of the tension in the room.
"Hello, Naru," she said, setting her book down beside her.
"Hara-san," I said. "How are you?"
"I've been better. It's not everyday you get crushed by a mass of debris."
"Well, Hara-san, knowing from experience, I think you're an exception."
She slightly giggled, but I didn't take this humorously. "You're always so serious, Naru, even when you're joking around." She set the book on the nightstand next to her bed and turned back to me. "I'm assuming you didn't just come here to check up on me, am I correct?"
I nodded curtly.
"I see."
"Hara-san, I wish we could talk under better circumstances, but-"
"You've always called me Hara-san." She suddenly changed the subject matter. "You never call me by my first name. I no longer work with you, Naru."
"Let's be serious here, Hara-"
"Masako!" she cried.
I wasn't fazed by her outburst; she seemed to be the only one who was abruptly astonished. It was out of character for her to be so rude, but I understood why she was so abstruse at the moment. She didn't want Mitsuki to come out of her again. But that didn't excuse her lack of decorum. At least, not to her.
"I apologize, Naru," she said. "I know you're just trying to help me. I'm sorry for being so difficult."
"Don't be. How long have you been like this?"
She gave me a dubious look and it quickly changed to realization. "A few months. I would've called earlier, but I didn't think it was anything serious."
I wrote some notes down as she explained the dilemma that occurred several months prior. My opinion of Masako suddenly changed. I thought her abilities would allow her to sense the paranormal whether they were inside her body or susceptibly overt; I was apparently wrong. But she must've known before she went to me, otherwise, this problem would've been solved sooner. Her goals would be revealed sooner or later.
As soon as she was done telling as many specific details as possible, I began my leave. "Wait Naru!" she cried out. I turned slightly. "What are you going to do?"
"Do you not trust me, Hara-san?"
"Iie, it's just... she..."
Before she could say anymore, Masako fainted. I called a nurse before I left and went on my way.
That trip was better than I anticipated. I didn't know what game Mitsuki was playing at, but she was planning something worse, worse than having my reputation revealed on national television.
And her target was Mai.
I drove home quickly with no traffic or any other impediments. Mai and my mother were already home. Mai was, to say the least, mad at me for missing her doctor's appointment. Her mood later changed, and she persistently apologized for being too impulsive. My mother stayed behind, to my displeasure, but everybody else enjoyed her company, especially Megumi. She was very excited to have a grandmother.
Mai had told Megumi about her parents once before, which made her feel lonelier than she had. She didn't know what it was like having grandparents, or simply just one grandparent, having a wiser relative, wiser than Mai or myself, watch over you, tell you the many accounts of wonderful escapades that they'd endeavored, dreams she'd hoped to pursue in the future. It was just one more pleasure in life she couldn't grasp. She had Madoka to care for her whenever we went to work, but I knew that wasn't the same. When she met my mother, Mai explained to me that she'd never seen her so interested in anybody else before. It was one of those infrequent moments I was grateful my mother was there.
After dinner, my mother dragged me into the hallway out of earshot. "What really happened at the hospital?"
I knew I couldn't hide anything from my mother. She was more perceptive than anyone I knew, besides Madoka, of course. "Nothing tragic happened. I didn't get much information out of Masako-"
"Wait. Hara Masako, the renowned medium? This is why you missed Mai's doctor's appointment?" She didn't wait for a response. "Naru, how could you?"
"Mother, trust when I say I will never do anything to hurt Mai. I love her too much and she knows that. She also knows I only visited Hara-san at the hospital to gather some information."
She sighed. "At least nothing happened. So, do you want to tell me what's going on, or do we have to do this the hard way?"
"Honestly, Mother, I'd rather not tell you just yet. It's something I have to deal with myself."
She frowned at me a bit for being so concealed; she didn't like it when I hid secrets from her- and that was no secret. "Alright," she said, "but just so you know you're not alone. I'm your mother and I'll always be there for you."
I nodded. "Thank you." I knew my mother would always be there for me, but I didn't want to involve her.
I was going to protect my family on my own.
It had been three weeks since I had contact with Masako. I didn't want to upset her again for something worse could happen if I did, but avoiding her would probably cause more problems than prevent them.
Mai, at the moment, was my new challenge. She was becoming intolerable. The pregnancy was making her irritable, which had been expected, but she was unusually daring, too. Even though she knew she had to be cautious during her pregnancy, that didn't stop her from doing things that were hazardous to her and the baby's health.
"Mai, what on earth are you doing?" I asked my wife. She was currently in the kitchen preparing dinner, but she momentarily stopped to reach for a bowl on one of the highest shelves in our kitchen cabinet. She had retrieved a stool to stand on, which was threatening to tip over.
"What does it look like?" she asked, sardonically. "I'm trying to get this bowl!" I walked up next to her and simply grabbed the bowl she was aiming for. She glared at me. "Asshole."
"I'm only helping you. You know pulling a stunt like that has consequences."
"I could've gotten it myself!" She angrily snatched the bowl from my hands and walked back to the stove.
"What are you making?"
"None of your business."
"Mai-"
"Naru! Can't you see I'm trying to cook? It's very distracting when you're breathing down my neck!"
I shrugged and left her alone to her cooking. I was adapted to this behavior because when she wasn't pregnant, she was more hormonal during a case. It wasn't as bad as her last pregnancy, when Megumi's power impeded me psychologically before she was out of the womb. Stressing out Mai would probably do the same if I provoked her, so I stayed away.
Megumi was also accomplished at evading Mai and her mood swings. She had become very preoccupied with "Jii-Jii"- a very unusual name for a cat, but I didn't say otherwise- and the cat didn't get enough of her affection. It trailed her everywhere she went and Megumi would merely soil it. This cat was also a huge stress-reliever for Mai. Whenever she sat on the couch to rest, the cat would come around nestle itself against her side. I was the only one who hadn't adjusted to this new member of our family. Everything was intact: it had no fleas, it wore its collar, and everybody loved him, except for me. He wasn't very amiable toward me, though, so we left each other alone.
I sat on the couch reading a newspaper as Megumi played with Jii-Jii. "Daddy, is Okaa-san alright?"
"Yes, she is."
"Then why is she acting so crabby?"
"She's under a lot of pressure because of the baby."
"Is ototo hurting her?"
I looked down at my daughter and saw her dangerously sad eyes. "No, Megumi. Your little brother isn't hurting her. She's just worried about him." I ruffled her hair a bit. "Don't worry about them, Hime. I'll take care of them."
Her frown instantaneously reversed into a smile. "Hai!"
I was glad she was ignorant about the case. She didn't know Masako was one of the few who were causing her mother's distress. Megumi was the only one I knew who liked watching Masako's show. She was disappointed about the show's sudden hiatus. She didn't know anything behind it, either, and I wanted to keep it that way. I didn't want her involved in this more than she already was. Mitsuki was after her too; I almost lost her once, but I would not allow that to happen once more.
"Naru!" I heard my wife call me.
Megumi grimaced at her sudden outburst. "It's okay," I consoled her. "Stay here."
I went to see why Mai had called me and found her teary-eyed. "Gomenasai, Naru!" She ran over and hugged me, which was very awkward for her because of her large abdomen. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's just I'm so stressed by Mitsuki, and the baby, and do you think I'm fat?"
"No." I kissed her forehead. "You're beautiful."
"Can you do me a favor?"
"What is it?"
"Can you go out and buy some strawberries?"
"Sure." I released her when someone began knocking on the door. I went to open it and found Lin on the other side. I wasn't nearly surprised to find him at the door, but I was a little inquisitive as to why he brought Jun with him and why Madoka wasn't present. "Lin, what is it?"
"Jun saw something."
I gave Lin a bemused look before looking at Jun. His face was as detached as his father's, but behind that impassive stare, I could also perceive a bit of apprehension. His eyes were red, too.
Jun also had psychic abilities, but he didn't receive special training like Megumi had with her PK. He was clairvoyant, but he had no control over what he would see. Looking at his bloodshot eyes, I reckoned he possibly saw something horrendous. It was heartrending knowing a little boy his age had no power over the formidable images he saw. I remembered when I suffered as much as he did when I was younger; Jun and I were at an understanding.
I turned and led Lin into the living room. Megumi was still playing with Jii-Jii on the floor. When she heard us enter the room, her grin grew to a size I couldn't even fathom. "Ojii-san! Jun-kun!"
I saw a minuscule smile grow on the little boy's face. Lin set him down and he ran up to Megumi. She didn't seem to notice his tear-stained face.
We left the children to play and I led Lin out into the hallway. Mai didn't know Lin and Jun were here, and I wanted to keep our conversation clandestine. "What happened?" I asked as soon as I was certain nobody could hear us.
"Jun had a vision of Mai."
A vision of Mai.
I had a feeling this was more than just an admonition.
"What did he see?" I queried. Lin eyes shifted to another object in the room, probably to reach for a distraction preventing him from telling me the truth. I didn't see the point. What could be worse than seeing Mai's grave? "Lin, what did he see?" I inquired again.
"Jun wasn't very specific," he began, "but he did mention something about Mai… lying in blood."
I knew I wouldn't get many details if I didn't ask Jun myself. Lin already knew what I had planned. He glowered at me. "Naru, don't."
"How else are we to know-?"
"The premonition may not be accurate."
"He hasn't been wrong before."
"Yes, but he's still a child, as well as my son," his voice adjusted to a tone that startled me in a way it hadn't before, "and I won't allow you to have him remember something so vulgar just so you can get information."
I recognized the look on his face. Fraternal instinct, something I should've been familiar with. I couldn't hurt Jun, even if it would benefit to the case. If Megumi went through what Jun had…
"Fine. Where's Madoka?"
"With your mother."
I sighed. "Great." The two women who actually intimidated me were together. "Does Madoka know about this?"
"No. I didn't want her to worry."
"Then that's one less problem for us-"
A cry and the shuttering of glass were heard from the kitchen and Megumi immediately ran into the hallway, her eyes were filled with panic and were close to tears. "Okaa-san's hurt!"
I rushed into the kitchen with Lin hot on my tail. I froze at the scene before me:
Shards of glass were sprawled all across the floor, and Jun stood a safe distance away bawling behind the counter. Next to the shards were a few droplets of blood where I found Mai lying on the floor, unconscious.
"Mai!" I knelt down on the floor, disregarding the shards of glass that dug into my knees and pulled her to my chest. I glanced up at Lin and shouted, "Call an ambulance! Hurry!"
He left hastily and I remained on the floor with my wife. Her hands were bleeding from the cuts. "Mai, wake up," I whispered calmly. She didn't respond. I hoped she was having a dream, a very helpful, benign dream. Then again, Mai never had those dreams, and I knew she wasn't having one now. She cringed and clutched her stomach in pain.
"No, no, no. Mai, wake up. Mai! Mai!"
I'm really sorry it took so long!
R&R!
