I am so incredibly sorry I have not posted again recently! I suck...sorry, school has been kicking my backside and I have a midterm to take by Sunday. I will try to post at least once a month or once every two weeks. After March 8th I should be able to write more, so please bare with me until then.
Thank you to all who have reviewed!
Chapter Three:
It took longer than they both expected to get an audience with his royal highness. Kagome tried the home phone first only for Meg, their maid, to answer and ask them to call the Firm downtown to request an appointment. Apparently he had fired the entire previous house-staff and was in the process of hiring new help, Meg had no idea who Kagome and Izayoi were.
During that time things had gone from bad to worse. Izayoi had taken up a corner in a busy city square with a sign that said, "Fell Upon Hard Times," and nothing more. She wouldn't beg, but Kagome needed to eat and that was all that mattered.
Kagome hadn't been able to secure work because she had no address. No matter how much Izayoi pressed upon her to return to her mother's home, she refused. "You were there for me the entire time Inuyasha was in school." Not to mention it's not like things will be better at home. They found friends to couch surf with, but no one to take them in until they could get on their feet, and as much as employers weren't supposed to discriminate against the pregnant, no one wanted a worker that was going to give birth in twenty weeks.
She showered that day in her friend's bathroom and washed her clothes. She was only able to take a few changes and even then she had no idea what was left of their belongings. "Don't beg," Izayoi coached her as she got ready. "He hates weakness."
"I'm not begging," Kagome said as she combed her wet hair into a bun and tried to make herself look less distraught than she actually was. "We don't have anywhere to stay tonight."
"Your friend said you could stay," Izayoi squeezed her hand. "I'll be fine a night on the streets."
"How are you so calm about this?" Kagome certainly wasn't.
"How much worse can it get? No one said finding a job late in life is easy. Make sure to eat something." She patted Kagome's belly. Even food had been scarce. Her friends offered her dinner but they couldn't afford to pay for all her meals.
The first thing he noticed when she was escorted into his office at the estate was that her stomach was protruding from her middle and that her eyes were gaunt. He tried to ignore how the sight of her pale skin and cracked lips made him uncomfortable as he leaned back in his father's plush, leather chair. "Come back to beg?"
"No," Kagome said stepping forward. "I came to ask for a job."
"And what, pray tell, are your skills?"
"I have a resume." She handed it to him nervously. Her hands were chafed and dry.
"You haven't worked in years and you're aggrandizing the fact that you were an unemployed artist whose paintings never sold. I don't think I have an open position at this time for someone with your skillset. You can leave now." He was sure the clenching in his stomach would stop as soon as she left. He hadn't known she was pregnant when he threw her out of the guest house.
She grit her teeth and said, "Sesshomaru, please. I'll do anything, cook, clean the floors, scrub the toilets, here or in the office. I just need something until the baby comes." She wiped a tear from her cheek, but what impressed him the most was that she raised her head and dared to meet his eyes. "Please?"
There was something fierce that he appreciated about that look and he couldn't escape the guilt that he had booted a pregnant woman from her home. "There's no address on here." He knew the law, no address, no employment.
"You are really going to make me beg aren't you? I'm just asking for a job, I'm not asking for your money—"
"Technically you are asking me for money by asking for a job. Why should I consider you over the twenty-five year old that is coming to interview later today?"
"I'm telling you I will work for it. Isn't that enough? I cleaned houses in High School. This isn't the first time I've done it and at least with me you can trust I won't steal anything or skimp the corners. I know this house and I know you."
He closed his eyes, frustrated that she was making good sense and even more irritated with growing lump in his throat. "When is the baby due?"
"Thanksgiving," and god, did she have to touch her stomach at that moment, making him flinch? Making him feel.
"So you want a temporary position?"
"I could work after," she said rigidly.
"I'm going to regret this," he said exasperated, handing the resume back to her. "I'll overlook the lack of address for now. You can start tomorrow. I assume you won't complain if I pay you fifteen dollars an hour?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"The average pay in Los Angeles is forty dollars an hour. I want twenty," she folded her arms across her breasts.
"Fine, twenty, now get out of my office. If you're late in the morning, you're fired."
"Fine," she stood up and that's when he noticed that she wavered on her feet.
"Are you okay Kagome?" he asked as he rushed around the large mahogany desk, catching her by the elbow. Close up he could see the spiderwebs of unshed tears in her eyes, the way her skin clung to the bones in her cheeks and how chapped her lips were.
"I'm…I'm fine." She pulled her arm out of his hand. "What time in the morning?"
"Eight," he said escorting her to the door and that's when he saw it. Her legs gave out beneath her, her knees buckled, sending her body backwards. He caught her by the shoulders before she hit the ground and rolled her onto her side. "Kagome?" Sesshomaru slapped her cheek annoyed, then touched her forehead, there was no fever. He shook her shoulder, but she didn't rouse. "Dammit."
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Story plug: Lucky Seven by Crimson sin of the cosmos...I think their username is that. Rebelalchemist on tumblr.
Chapter Four will hopefully come March 15th...sorry for the long wait, this is my sidepiece and I will keep writing it when school is out.
Guest#1: Yes they were living off of daddy's money. Inuyasha was just finishing school and Kagome was mostly unemployed so yes...Some people literally do stay engaged/unengaged for that long and with children. No joking it happens and many people do not plan ahead with wills and life insurance. It's kind of nuts.
Nightbird755: You will see why he is sooo cold soon!
xxDezzidancexx: Here is your update. I hope it's not nearly as sad as the first one.
RLSCrazy: Thank you! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
