"At first, when he started to leave marks, it was easy to hide. Long sleeves, make-up if he got me in the face, blaming any I couldn't hide on the occasional exterminating job. He turned me into a liar." The kettle whistled and she walked back to turn off the heat. Pouring the water into small cups, she dropped teabags in and let them steep. Bringing the cups into the living room, she set his on the coffee table and slipped carefully back into her chair.
"My only salvation was Shippou. He was the most innocent, the most loving person I had ever met. He lived with his grandmother, across the hall from our apartment." She blew on the tea, watching as her breath made ripples in the dark liquid. "I don't know why Jirōbō let me have Shippou, not when he would hardly ever let me see my family and isolated me from my friends. That always confused me but back then, I was too glad to have anything he allowed me that I didn't question it."
"Shortly after I met Shippou and we started going to the park, I met Rin. We could only go once a week, but like Shippou, Rin was another escape I craved." She smiled down into the cup and then looked up at him, smile still in place. "You don't have to believe me, but I loved Rin just as much as Ship, as a child of my own. She had the most heartwarming smile."
He wanted to hate her for involving his daughter in her story, wanted to leave the room right then. He could see the hope in her eyes, though it was a hope he didn't understand and couldn't answer. Instead, he simply nodded. At the thought of Rin, there was not much he could say.
o.O.o
Word Count: 306
