Chapter Thirty Five

I watch Kyoko nervously as this strange man stands in our home. She says that he's a lawyer who was chosen by Boss and then Dad has met with him before and researched his career but I'm nervous. I really don't want to talk about this but then I can't let this guy get away with this either. No doubt he would try to come after me again or at least someone that I love and hell, he already broke into a private elementary school.

I just feel such anxiety when it comes to talking about him or seeing pictures of him or imagining myself in the same room as him. Kyoko smiles to the lawyer before approaching me. She kneels down in front of me. "Are you feeling okay or did you want to wait?" she asks and I shakily nod. Kyoko kisses my cheek and I roll myself forwards in my chair.

"Hello, it's really a great pleasure to meet you," the lawyer says as he reaches for my hand. "My name is Spenser Montgomery. I'm one of the partners at Montgomery and Browning. Would it be all right to sit down and talk for a little time."

I look at him nervously before nodding my head. I'm glad that Mom was able to take the girls shopping and mentioned the Disney store. I wouldn't want them to be mixed up in all of this. He smiles and pulls out a chair for Kyoko at the table. Kyoko sits down but moves closer to me so that she can hold my hand in her own.

"I'm right here," she attempts to assure me knowing that I don't have my usual strength and courage that Ren Tsuruga had, that her previous version of the man she married had. "We can stop at any time."

"Yes, we can always take a break for the day and pick up at a later time," Spenser informs me and I nod. "So, the first question that I wanted to ask you is whether you feel comfortable testifying in court. I understand that you've had some difficulty with your ability to speak since the attack."

I look down. I know that it would be better for everyone to have a visual but I don't want to see him. I don't want to ever face him again. I used to feel superior to him. I thought I had superior skills and intelligence but now I'm like a toddler in front of him. "I-I-Iss" I say, the stress causing my speech to come out with a little more difficulty.

Kyoko puts a hand on my shoulder and looks at me, trying to provide strength for both of us.

"Vi'..eo…de'o..ion?" I ask before closing my eyes in shame and Kyoko gives me a quick side hug.

"Is it possible for a video deposition?" Kyoko asks to translate for me. The lawyer looks shocked that I know of such a thing. I'm not stupid. Somehow my intelligence isn't lowered and most people would think that impossible when considering the damage done to my body already.

"That could work," Spenser says as he jots it down on the record. "Yes, a video deposition might be ideal because then we'll be able to get accurate answers with the jury able to see for themselves what damage the defendant has done to you. We'll show them interviews from before the first accident as well. There were also several people who could say they saw you in the condition before the attack."

Kyoko looks forward, a fire burning in her eyes. "I would like to give my testimony in court, I understand that a deposition will precede it but I would love to tell everyone what that spineless monster did to my husband. I am positive that my father-in-law would want to as well. We've always been rather protective of Kuon but for someone to do this…"

"And…" Spenser says, "we're avoiding capital punishment."

I nod quickly. Kyoko nods too but I can see that she'd be open to it if I wanted it. I don't want him to die. He tried to kill me but I'm not going to work from vengeance and try to take someone else's life from them.

"Yes," Kyoko says and Spenser turns to us before taking out a legal form.

"I'd like to ask you to sign this so that, Mr. Hizuri," he turns to me and I look at him nervously. "We have your medical papers and tests and other documents turned in as exhibits," he says and I nod as I pick up the pen and Kyoko hugs me again as I messily scrawl out my signature. I used to be so different from who I am now and when I do things such as look at how I write my own name I feel so much pain from it. I pass it forward and Spenser just nods to it, not commenting on how it looks nothing like the signatures that I gave to all of my fans."

"Okay, so we're going to be pressing for an aggravated assault and battery, attempted murder, harassment, negligence leading to the initial injury, slander, and let's just start with those," he says and I nod. It's quite a charge. Kyoko thanks him and I start to feel more worried and pain but it's okay. It'll turn out okay because it has to.

…

…

I look at the address that Yashiro had handed me of the law office in Kyoto. I don't know why she insisted on getting in touch with me through LME but if she wants to see me then I might as well do so. Kyoko would have mixed feelings but I don't want to tell her when she's five months pregnant with our second daughter and also taking care of Rose whilst I promote my new TV show and the Japanese airing of it.

I go to the front desk, people are staring at me and I feel very conspicuous as I look at myself in the mirror behind the counter. I had to dye my hair a rich brown for this role and of course, brown makes me transform into Tsuruga Ren. "Hello," I say to a woman who is staring at me as if I'm some fantasy creature. "I'm here to see Mogami Saena."

"You're late," I hear a cold voice, "Nevermind. You can follow me."

I recognize this woman by the photographs that Kyoko has shown me as well as the few times we actually briefly met in person. I'm late? I check my watch – a working one that Kyoko gifted me – and blink. I'm about ten minutes early. Did she give me the wrong time or something?

I bow deeply as we get to her office, I know that my emerald eyes shows that I am mostly an American but she doesn't seem to care either way. I know that she once told Kyoko that no man was worth marrying but Japanese men were better than foreigners. I don't know whether she said that with me in mind but I have to think that she did.

"As you should know, your popularity and fame is bringing me a lot of unwanted attention," she tells me as she closes the door and I stand until she gestures that I should sit. "You seem to be getting more and more famous with your Hollywood career. It's rather an unpleasant taste."

"I never intended to make you a part of our lives," I try to say tactfully. I know that Kyoko only uses the HIzuri name when she's designing. All legal documents that Kyoko has have been changed, aside from of course things needing her maiden name, to Hizuri. Unless you dig deep into Kyoko's background, a person would be unaware of the name Mogami since we never publicly released it.

"I want you to promise me that you won't," she says as she brings out a formal document. "Imagine if something were to happen, some scandal, it might hurt my own work. I want you to sign this saying that you, whatever name you're choosing to go by, will not contact me personally for anything. I don't care about you. I don't care about your children. I…"

I quickly take the pen and sign it. Is she referring to Kyoko as well? Is there a reason she hasn't said she doesn't care about her daughter?

…

…

I can't believe how nervous I am. It's not that I haven't dyed and cut my hair before because, of course I have, but it's been some time since I dyed it lighter and didn't have it where it went beneath my shoulders. I want to take a step forward though. I want to look good for Kuon but I want to prove to him that I am determined for us to have a new and happy life.

I look to the girls who are excited that they get their hair trimmed too. I've said it was okay for them to also get their nails lightly painted with child-friendly nail polish. They had told me that Kuon's hair might never grow back but it has, even on the side where it was shaved. They told me that his hair would change color, maybe it's a couple of hues away from his golden hair but it's still blond.

Ana comes over to me, her hair has been combed and styled to make it bounce at the ends and she has sparkly blue polish on her fingers. "You look pretty, Mommy," she grins and I smile happily. I look like a more mature version of my sixteen-year-old self, more fashionable as well with a certain softness to my face.

I wonder if Kuon will be happy when he sees it. I don't know if there are things that will upset him but he's always been supportive of me in the past. I smile as I notice the blonde highlights. I bow my head happily, they are the same color as his hair so that means I have something connecting me to him at all times.

"Daddy will love it," Rose says as she comes to me. I grin to her.

"You think?" I ask and Rose nods, she looks away uneasily as if she's hiding a secret. I hum and tilt my head to the side not sure what she seems to shy and unsure about. "Rose, is something wrong?" I ask her as I hand my credit card over to the stylist.

"Something Nadia's mommy said," Rose says as she twists nervously. She bows her head and tears appear in her eyes. I get down immediately, kneeling in front of her and take her hands. Ana watches us very nervously, she's not used to her big sister getting emotional in public. There must have been something bad said. "Am I bad?" Rose asks and I pause, I study her and shake my head.

"Of course not," I tell her immediately, "Did you take the cookies again?" I ask and Rose shakes her head.

"I did," Ana volunteers and I nod to her, "Sorry."

"I forgive you," I smile to her before turning my attention back to Rose. I take a slow breath before think about what she said. "What did Nadia's mommy say?" I ask in reference to her friend's mother and Rose looks away. I don't know what's going on.

"I know Daddy is kinda…broke," she tells me and I have to hold myself back from correcting her. "I don't want to leave Daddy alone. I don't want him to go away to a fa—cil—i—ty," she says that word slowly and I feel an anger inside of me but I don't want to show it to the girls. "You said Daddy wasn't bad. You said that he wasn't in trouble."

"Of course your daddy isn't bad," I tell her not able to hide the shock in my voice. "We're staying with Daddy. He won't be alone," I sigh. Ana looks between us not truly understanding what's happening. Until this year all the girls knew of their dad was the fun, confident, sweet father who would always put them first. As much as Kuon wants to put them first, he can't do that right now. "Do you know that your daddy is improving and getting better more quickly than the doctors thought he would," I tell them and Rose rubs the tears away from her face.

"Really?" she asks with a weak smile.

I nod and pull both of the girls into my arms, "Absolutely." I look at each of them in turn. "However, I need for you not to say things like that to Daddy. We have to try not to upset him so that he heals. Daddy wants to get better to spend time with you and play together. He just needs to stay happy."

Rose nods and Ana sighs.

"I miss playing," she says as she huffs and I nod.

"He misses playing with you two as well but I promise you, we'll stay together as a family. Daddy isn't going away and we're not going away either. We're going to stay together. We're a family."

The girls nod and I take a deep breath in. Even though I know that's what some people think of me, they think that I'd just leave Kuon and divorce him and maybe, if I was feeling kind enough, put him in some kind of assisted living facility. I know that they think that and it's completely false. I can't stop them from thinking that but I wish they had enough sense not to voice those thoughts in front of the girls who are still having difficulty understanding the situation.

End of Chapter Thirty Five

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Thank you to Kaname671 for reviewing Chapter Thirty Four