Mama, she has taught
me well
Told me when I was
young
"Son, your life's
an open book
Don't close it 'fore
its done
The brightest flame
burns quickest"
That's what I heard
her say
A son's heart sowed
to mother
But I must find
my way
Touma
just stared out the window as his mother drove the car.
"Honey, are you okay?" Kari asked.
"Hai," her ten-year-old son responded.
"I know that you're not happy about me going on this assignment," said
Kari, "but I rather leave you with your grandparents then your father."
Not like he's gonna be home anyway, Touma thought.
Kari pulled into the driveway; her parents were waiting by the front door.
She got out of the car and Touma followed, pulling his suitcase from the
backseat.
"I'm sorry to do this to you, mom," Kari apologized.
"It's no trouble at all, dear," Grandmother hugged her, and then opened
her arms to Touma. "Now there's my grandson!"
Touma ran to her and hugged her tightly.
"Hey, what about me?" Grandfather asked.
Touma hugged him and just as tight.
"All right, Touma," Kari looked at her son, "behave yourself. I'll be back
in a few weeks." She turned and went back to her car. Then drove out of
sight.
Grandmother sighed as they went into the house. Touma was immediately settled
in and they spent the afternoon at the park.
However, that night
as Touma was in bed, he cried softly.
His own mother didn't even give him a kiss goodbye.
Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart
go
Let this heart be
still
Yeah, still
Touma
quickly rummaged through the drawers of his dresser, pulling out various
articles of clothing and stuffing them into a duffel bag. Tonight he was
leaving. Shu's father was waiting outside in his van at the street corner.
Touma's parents had another fight; his mother left and his father took
his anger out on Touma. His ribs didn't hurt as much, but his left eye
was starting to form a bruise. Touma licked his lips, tasting the dried
blood from when his father punched him.
After Touma's father stopped pummeling him and went to bed, Touma tended
his wounds and waited a couple hours to make sure his father was asleep.
Then he called Shu, apologizing for calling so late and explained his situation.
Shu's parents told him that they would take Touma in and work something
out if he didn't want to go back home.
Touma finished packing as much as he could and tied the duffel bag. He
carefully opened his bedroom window.
"Touma?"
"Shu?" he called softly.
"C'mon, man," Shu whispered, "before that psycho wakes up."
"Catch." Touma dropped his bag.
His friend caught it. "Okay."
Touma climbed out onto the small ledge. He shut the window, and lowered
himself to the ground. Shu gave Touma his bag and the two young teens ran
to the corner. Shu opened the side door, letting Touma in first. He climbed
in and shut the door.
"Domo arigato," Touma said.
"Touma," said Shu's father, "anytime you need help just ask us." He started
the van and drove off.
Rebel, mind your
last name
Wild blood in my
veins
They bring strings
around my neck
The mark that still
remains
Left home at an
early age
Of what I heard
was wrong
I never asked forgiveness
But what is said
is done
Touma
flipped through his photo album. He smiled at the pictures of himself with
his grandparents. There were very few pictures of his own parents together
– by themselves or with Touma.
Touma had long since moved out and into Nasuti's mansion. He was Tenku
no Touma now, one of five Samurai Troopers with a mystic yoroi. There was
some small part of him that missed his parents. They were getting a divorce
and that made Touma happy. The phone rang.
"Moshi, moshi," Touma answered. "Hi, mom. …What!? But how… I see. Hai,
I'll be there soon." Numbly, Touma hung up the phone.
Ryo walked in. "Touma, what's wrong?"
"My father's dead," Touma said quietly.
"What happened?"
"An explosion at the plant. He…was burned alive." Touma stood up. "I gotta
go."
"Want one of us to go with you?"
"No, I'll be fine."
"You sure?" Ryo asked.
"I'm all right." Touma quickly left the mansion and caught a bus. Heading
for his mother's apartment, Touma felt an odd sense of peace come over
him.
Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart
go
Let this heart be
still
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me
your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me
your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
So let this heart
be still
Someone
knocked on the door.
"Come in," said Touma and Seiji entered.
"You ready, Touma?" he asked.
"No, I don't think I'd ever be ready for this."
"I know it's tough."
"I think fighting against Arago was easier than this," Touma forced a laugh.
Seiji gave him a sympathetic smile. "We'll be downstairs," he said and
closed the door.
Touma picked up his jacket and put it on. He looked himself over in the
full-length mirror, and for a moment didn't recognize the person staring
back. He adjusted the collar of his shirt and went downstairs.
Mama, now I'm coming
home
I'm not all you
wished of me
A mother's love
for her son
Spoken, help me
be
I took your love
for granted
Not a thing you
said to me
I needed your arms
to welcome me
But, a cold stone's
all I see
It
was cloudy, but it didn't rain. The preacher did a wonderful sermon, but
Touma barely heard the words. When the preacher finished, Touma stood up
and walked over to the casket. He swallowed hard.
"When I was ten," he began in a shaky voice, "my mother left me with my
grandparents. She didn't give me a kiss goodbye; I was mad at her for that.
And I'm mad at her now, because she's left me again… this time it's for
the rest of my life."
He stopped and looked at the people who had come to the funeral. He knew
most of them, but his attention fell upon the ones he cared for the most:
Ryo, Seiji, Shin, Shu, Kayura, Naaza, Anubis, Rajura, Nasuti, Jun and his
parents.
"I'm not just mad at her," Touma continued, "I'm also mad at myself. I
knew she was sick, but I didn't see her that much when she was in the hospital.
And when I did, I didn't give her a kiss goodbye. I really hate myself
for that. Even though she wasn't there much for me when I was younger,
I knew that she loved me. I just wish I had the chance to tell her that
I loved her back."
Touma placed his hand on the casket. "I'm sorry, mom," he said. "I love
you." Touma leaned over and kissed the lid. He walked back to his seat.
As Touma sat down, his friends reached out to him, giving him strength
through their own special connection.
Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart
go
Let this heart be
still
Jun
and his parents went home, and everybody else returned to the mansion.
"Psycho father and careless mother," said Seiji. "Kari may have loved Touma
but she had a funny way of showing it."
"How long is he going to stay in his room?" Rajura asked.
"I don't know," Ryo said. "Just let him have a few-"
A crash from the floor above made everyone jump from their seats and they
ran upstairs. They found Touma in his room throwing things around; he had
broken the mirror.
"Touma," said Shin, "calm down."
"Just leave me alone!" Touma shouted, and threw the chair.
Seiji quickly sprang and slammed Touma against the wall. Touma started
to cry and he lost his balance. Seiji held onto him and they sat on the
floor.
"I'm sorry, Touma," Seiji apologized as he held his friend, rubbing his
back to comfort him.
"Why didn't I tell her?" Touma sobbed, more from his emotional grief than
his physical pain.
Let my heart go
Mama, let my heart
go
You never let my
heart go
So let this heart
be still
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me
your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me
your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
So let this heart
be still
Touma
stopped crying and looked at his friends. They gave him warm, caring smiles.
"Hey," said Seiji with a smile, "you messed up my shirt."
"Gomen," Touma laughed and wiped his tears. "Arigato," he said, "I guess
I needed some sense knocked into me."
"Touma," Naaza said, "she knows. Even though we didn't have a chance to
tell the ones we cared about, they know."
"She does know," said Touma, "she does."
"We'll help you clean this up," Kayura said looking at the demolished room.
Touma smiled; glad to know that he had friends that were also his family.
Mama
By: Janime Lee