Update!: Hey everyone; I'm sure you're surprised to see chapter 11 up so soon after I said I had on idea when I would get around to writing it. Well, today turned out to be a lazy day with a huge lack of motivation to do anything productive. So, I decided to give you a gift since I had left you guys hanging for so long. A big thanks to aquasage for the awesome review that was sent via private messaging; it came to my attention that anyone who had posted to the "author's note" I put in a few weeks ago wasn't able to review chapter 10. Forgive me for that—I didn't know. This chapter isn't as action packed as I intended…chapters seem to be a bit short right now. We'll see if I can get some better "fluff" ideas later. I probably won't be touching this (for sure this time) for quite some time, although I will make a better effort than I had been.
Please review and give me feedback on how you like this story…I'm really trying not to lose my focus on it. I have ideas, but its hard to get back into the swing of things, you know?
Ciao everyone!
Chapter 11: The Twisted Game We Play
When Cell had disappeared from my line of site, I promptly turned around to look at Kei before he thought something of my prolonged stare out the door. Kei stood there, his eyes planted on what had been the same scene I had been looking at. I smiled at him and picked up his stuff to bring into our bedroom. He followed, of course, to change out of his suit that he had worn for the job.
"So how long ago did all of this take place?" Kei asked as he tossed his tie across the back of the desk chair.
"Couple of days ago," I replied truthfully. "I heard the news about a meteor and a woman being found on my way home from work. I had one of those sneaky suspicions I get, so I rushed to the hospital."
"I really am sorry about what happened," he said. "But at least you know that she's at peace now."
"I guess so," I replied softly.
Kei nodded and proceeded to take off the rest of his work attire. I sat down on the bed and stared at the floor, wondering what was going to happen now. I wish I hadn't asked.
"I noticed your cousin was wearing my shirt," Kei said suddenly. "The one you gave me for my birthday last year."
I bit my lip while I thought of an answer.
"Or did he forget to bring luggage?" Kei asked as he buttoned up a clean shirt he put on. "I mean, I noticed he didn't leave with anything except himself."
"Well," I said and thought quickly. "He just came down and didn't bother to pack anything."
"Oh, I see," Kei answered and left the room.
I got up and went after him; I noticed he was walking a bit quicker, which usually meant he wasn't happy. He knew I was lying to him…he could see right through me. He went into the kitchen for a drink, but after taking a glass out of the cupboard he roughly placed it on the countertop and turned to me swiftly.
"So who is he Sasara?" He said sternly.
"What are you talking about?" I asked with a small chuckle.
"He's not your cousin," he said with a sure expression on his face. "He looks nothing like you."
"Kei, cousin's don't have to look like each other," I told him.
"There are resemblances," he said. "You've shown me pictures of your mother with her parents and brother; none of them look like him. And don't tell me he's adopted."
I frowned and put my hands on my hips. "Are you accusing me of an affair?"
"Should those be the words then?" he snapped. "Did you sleep with him?"
"What? No! Of course not!" I replied rather audibly. "Alright, look…he's a friend from a long time ago. I had to talk to someone and I didn't know who else to go to. He's the only one that knew stuff from the past and I knew he'd understand."
"You're still lying to me," Kei said and started to go down the hall.
"Kei!" I shouted and hurried after him. "I'm serious! I didn't do anything with him….Why would I? I love you."
"You sound like your mother," Kei said and then stopped quickly as if knowing I'd catch those words.
"Excuse me?" I said as if I just heard him say the most horrible thing in the world.
Kei let out a big sigh and tossed his hands in the air. "I know about your mother's life."
I stood there dumbfounded. I could almost feel a sickening pain hit my throat as if I was about to cry but refused to let it come. "That's impossible…"
"No its not," he said in defeat. "I read those three books. I know about her and that Cell."
I said nothing. I looked at him as if I had just been betrayed. I understood the fact that I betrayed him…but this is something that he didn't need to hide from me. I couldn't figure out why he'd go behind my back like that.
"I didn't believe the whole story about how your mother disappeared," he said. "I would've if it hadn't happened at the same time all the commotion of aliens and dead people came about. And I could tell that you were hiding something because it was always a touchy topic with you if I ever brought her up and asked what could've happened. I knew you knew more than you were letting on."
I continued to stare at him. I felt like the box I had been hiding in had just been ripped open and all of my precious contents had spilled out to be lost forever. Knowing that Kei knew I hadn't confessed to him about my mother's adventurous nature with Cell made me feel even worse than I had when he came home. I wondered if he had found my own story of a time with the android….
Kei cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked a bit upset with not me, but himself because he had slipped. "I had wondered if there was something lying around here that would've told me what happened to her…like a note she wrote you telling you she was leaving or something. Or maybe something you wrote about seeing her being abducted by someone. When I found those journals and started to read them, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I even did research about those Cell Games and saw your mother's name pop up as being kidnapped and held captive for several days with him."
"Why didn't you tell me?" I said, feeling very hurt.
"I…" he paused for a moment and released his crossed arms. "I didn't want you to feel like you were vulnerable with someone else knowing. I understand why you kept it to yourself…She left with him, didn't she?"
I suddenly felt cold. I turned away from him and went into the living room where I sat on the couch and faced the bookcase. I looked up and saw a picture of Mom and I from a few years back.
Kei had followed me and sat down beside where I sat. He put his arms around me and hugged me tightly. "I'm sorry, darling," he said softly. "But I swear to you, I haven't told a single soul about your mother and the android."
"I lied to you," I said out of nowhere, even surprising myself with my words. I had started, so I had to finish. He never mentioned finding my own account of Cell, but I felt like he should know now. Maybe it'd be less painful since he just blew his own cover on something.
"What?"
I took a deep breath and folded my hands on my lap. I looked at him and then back at the floor. "My mother left with Cell," I said. "I told her to go because I thought she'd be happier that way. They came back here because she got really sick."
"He brought her back?"
I nodded. "Whatever had been wrong with her destroyed her so quickly I couldn't bare it. I hate myself for convincing her leaving with him was the best thing to do. But I…I trusted him."
Kei sat back a little and looked at me as if waiting for me to continue.
I had too. "When that whole chaotic day started Mom and I had been separated. I ran into Cell and at first he thought I was her because we looked so much alike. It just turned out to play that he protected me from several of his fellow hell-mates. When he hadn't hurt me…and when I put two and two together from reading her journals myself, I figured it was the best choice for them both. I thought that maybe he'd be different with her around. I'm sorry I never told you."
With a smile coming to his face, a sad smile though, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. I embraced him with every ounce of strength I had. I felt horrible….I just didn't have the heart to tell him the details of my encounter…pluralized…with Cell.
