Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.
Authors notes: A big thank you to those who reviewed, actually I can count with my fingers. Mcangel1976, Yoshi2917 and iwha = D! Especially mcangel1976 for commenting on almost every chapter. It is very rewarding for me, not for my ego but lets me know how to work around it and if one says boring or not like a character at least I can fix it, and letting me know how you felt about the story gives me ideas on how to twist or how to write the next chapter. Twisted Fates is the one that I am spending most of my time on therefore its good to have feedbacks. So big thank you to these three at least I knew that you guys are enjoying it so far and that is why it is still being updated!
Chapter 7: One child One decision
It took Sakuno Ryuuzaki 2 weeks to regain her courage of going out of the safety of home, and then it took a further 3 weeks for her to even talk to anyone besides Tomoka and Ann. Tomoka and Ann helped Sakuno through it all and even moved to a whole different prefecture… further away from their home base but this was all they could do for her and to Sakuno that was more than she could ever ask or expect from a friend. They went above and beyond for her and Sakuno was very thankful for what they have done. Sakuno knew how much effort her friends went through for her, through thick and thin they were with her all the way. After moving to a new prefecture and a new place to live, Sakuno helped a lot with the house chores once they moved but Sakuno never liked being alone if she was to go out. As much as she was trying very hard to put the past behind her, it was hard because she was pregnant. The three of them argued about the baby for a few weeks knowing that they have a chance to help get abort the child before it was too late for Sakuno.
Sakuno however was stuck to the idea that there was a living being within her body… this was not just a rotten tomato that she could easily debate on throwing away… this was a baby within her.
"Sakuno, you have to make a decision either by tomorrow or day after because after that… we'd just hit the deadline for an abortion to be legal."
Sakuno nodded at Ann who was grabbing the keys to the car and about to leave the house with Tomoka, and once Ann saw that Sakuno was taking her words into consideration, they then left the house. Sakuno waved her friends goodbye, they went off to their respective jobs that they took when they got into the new prefecture. Sakuno upon seeing them leave the house, proceeded to lock up the windows and doors due to the simple and natural fear for her own safety. Even after all that, she went to her own room and locked the door hoping that this would keep her safe from any harm. At that point Sakuno started to think very hard about the baby within her.
This was the child that will forever remind me of the incident that happened.
This child will be the shame of the family because the child from rape and will be treated unkindly.
It is very emotionally taxing to go through each and every day seeing the child's face and knowing that it was their father that mentally scarred me….
It was an unclean child… a dirty child… an unwanted child… but… still… a child.
If I just kill the child… I can't accept that. A child was created through a traumatic incident but it was never the baby's fault, so why am I taking it out on the child?
Perhaps the baby will look more like me than the man who still turns up in my worst nightmares…
The child is innocent… but that child will not be loved… not by everyone. If they knew that the child was from… the child will be born into a world that hates the child… I can't give that to a child no matter what the matter was from start to end.
Sakuno decided that perhaps the child was better off dead before he/she begin to realize that they were going to be born into a terrible world with terrible people and that the mother is shaky and her faith in the world has been thoroughly shaken by the man who sired the child. Not to mention that the mother had never been a mother before, having no confidence to raise the child on her own on top of all other things. Sakuno was emotionally not ready, she was still very scared of men and perhaps she was shy before… but now she was VERY scared to the point that she breaks off in cold sweat when she sees a man even when it wasn't the very guy who had done this to her. She was not confident in her own steps in her life, but she was relieved that her friends went through everything to show her that they cared and that nothing about her was defiled and that whatever happened to her wasn't something that would make them turn their backs on her.
They showed her love and loyalty, a very firm basis to keep her going. If it weren't for them… those endless nights where she just cried and cried for hours on an end, the feeling of a constant overwhelming fear of everything that was outside as well as any man… would be far more terrible without her friends. Even now when things were slightly better, she still would drop in and out of conversations due to the lack of attention to her surroundings at times mainly because her mind was constantly drifting back to that cold and dreaded night. Sakuno had probably lost count on how many times she couldn't stop herself from reliving and recalling the incident. However, she had her friends to thank for because they constantly kept her occupied therefore these incidents occur lesser, that doesn't mean that it never occurred again.
Sakuno look up at the clock to notice the time, 6: 00 pm, and that it was time to make dinner. So she hurried downstairs and her usually clumsy self plus everything she was thinking about lead her to fall down the stairs, her body fell onto the base of the stairs in a rather odd angle. Sakuno felt the sharp pain which shot up her spine burning her as she held her stomach gasping from the pain that shot through her body. She knew that she was in trouble and internally her mind went to… the little baby. Sakuno braced her pain and lifted her head a little to look around and tried to find her mobile phone, only to see that it had already skidded across the floor and Sakuno shakily moved inch by inch with an arm pressed on her stomach in efforts to calm the pain… her fingers finally managed to touch the phone and she quickly grabbed the phone and pressed a speed dial number…
"h…Help… Fe…fell down stairs…"
With that, Sakuno passed out… the pain was dizzying and once the darkness carried over Sakuno felt for once that her mind was well and truly blank.
Sakuno had no idea how long she was passed out but when she opened her eyes, she saw the white lights of the clinic and Ann was right there waiting anxiously. When Ann saw Sakuno open her eyes, she shot out of her seat and went to check on her friend
"What…is happening…?"
Ann felt a little hesitant so the doctor decided to be the harbinger of bad news as he proceeded to explain to Sakuno that there is a slight possibility that the baby may have suffered very bad damage due to the fall she experience and that she had to be prepared for the worst. That news left Sakuno reeling, internally she felt that pain and fear, she was going to lose her baby that was inside of her! Her baby was dying because of her and her decisions. The mere thought that she was going to lose the baby came first and it somehow slipped the most important part of the whole thing… that the baby was a reminder of the past. She was more saddened and frightened that the baby was surely dead. That somehow took the wind out of Sakuno, her heart was pumping really hard as she offered her own prayer to her religion that no matter what… Do not take my child away… the child does not deserve to die on my behalf just because I would be reminded of a past I didn't want to remember.
The doctors run through a quick test and the way their faces contort into very tight frowns or straight faces, it made Sakuno ever doubtful of a good answer. It was hard enough on Sakuno that the doctor was a man and they were comparing their thoughts but it was pretty much jargon to Sakuno but none of the jargon that Sakuno was familiar with thus she felt vulnerable and afraid. It was only up until the doctor turn to look at Sakuno saying with a gentle smile on his face
"You were really lucky that you managed to only bruise a little and that the baby is in no real harm. In fact, the baby has been a little under nourished but generally going quite alright. I see you haven't booked to see a doctor about the baby yet… did you want…"
At that point, Sakuno was relieved beyond belief but it was Ann's words which woke her up when she stepped in and said strictly
"My friend is not really sure if she wants to keep the baby…"
At that point Sakuno took hold of Ann's hand and despite having the fear of being surrounded by doctors, her friend's hand calmed her nerves as she answered…
"If you could help me book one of the good ones, thank you."
Sakuno's decision came as a shock to Ann and perhaps will to Tomoka in future because she would be quite surprised to hear that Sakuno had come to the decision herself.
Once the doctor left her to rest, Tomoka came rushing into the ward and asking anxiously about Sakuno and her health when Ann told her the details of the whole ordeal where Ann rushed home to find that Sakuno was lying a short distance away from the base of the stairs clutching her stomach, profusely sweating cold sweat and her skin turning pale and in her hand… she held her mobile phone. Ann proceeded to explain what the doctor had said initially and Tomoka looked concerned as she turned to Sakuno and took hold of her hand as though wondering what had happened and did Sakuno lose the baby? How was she feeling about the whole ordeal and from the way Ann described it… it sounded like she already did lose the baby. Sakuno was quick to ease her friend's discomfort.
"The baby is ok… Tomoka… I…I've decided to keep the baby."
Sakuno waited for a response because right after Tomoka relaxed a little the following news seemed to set her rigid again. Her eyes wide in surprise as she asked softly
"…You sure you really want to do this? We can help you, but do you really want to keep a child that…"
Sakuno easily managed to slip in as she said
"I…I am sure. When the doctors told me that I might lose the baby… it occurred to me that… yes the baby will remind me of that person… sure that baby will not be accepted by everyone… I can be scared and I can dread… but despite all of that… I don't want to lose the baby."
Ann and Tomoka looked at each other worriedly, and it was as though they were clearly having a silent conversation between one another as Sakuno wait on anxiously to hear their opinions. Tomoka then turned to look at Sakuno with a gentle smile the same smile Tomoka wore when Sakuno woke up from a nightmare or collapse in her fear of reliving that incident when she was awake… it was a gentle smile of patience and limitless care for Sakuno.
"That is your decision Sakuno, know that we are all here for you. In the meantime, is the money from your grandmother and your parent's money enough to sustain you through your pregnancy? I know that since the incident you haven't been able to be outside for long."
Sakuno at that point threw a weak smile at her friends when she responded
"…It is enough to cover me while I am pregnant for all the doctor appointments and birth… but… we will see…"
It was then when Ann spoke up
"Well then, if they don't cover we can help."
Sakuno's eyes widened a little and she shook her head violently
"No… both of you have done so much to help me already…"
"Nonsense! The three of us will always be together, so we've already stuck to you this far… plus I am sure Ann is having quite the decent pay."
"…Just because I am a lawyer Tomoka, doesn't make me rich… but you aren't poor either… being hired as a teacher in such a prestigious school in the area!"
Sakuno felt her body melt into the pillows when she listened to her friends argue about the amount of money they had. It was not really a jest because their pay was equally good but Sakuno never let them pay for her under any circumstances. She looked and touched the belly, once she had made up her mind… the child became something different. It was hard to explain this but now instead of having to be strong for her friends she had to be strong for one more baby. This time that gave her a road, she had to care for the child being priority and then second of all start looking for a job.
To be continued...
Snowrider14 Signing out
