Kari found herself running the path around the park for the third time. She
really didn't want to go home, she didn't feel like facing her Mother. She
thought again, not her Mother but some stranger who claimed to be her
Mother for the past 16 years. Reluctantly Kari headed towards her home. She
stopped running and slowly walked trying to stretch the time.
Kari slowly opened the front door; all of the lights downstairs were off. She could hear Lilly crying upstairs. Kari inhaled sharply thinking to herself that she should do something. She climbed the stairs and stood in front of her Mom's door, not wanting to knock but needing to make sure she was ok. Sure she lied to Kari but Lilly was all she knew.
"Mom?" Kari pushed the door open slightly.
Lilly quickly tried to regain composure. "Kari? You're still talking to me?"
"I've had a little time to think about this. I'm still very angry but I know you love me and you're all I know. I guess it's better to have some sort of Mom than no Mom at all."
Lilly reached for Kari's hand. "Kari, honestly I never meant for all this to happen."
"Do you know anything about my sisters?"
"I know their names and ages. Your oldest sister is names Kasumi; she would be 19 by now. Next is Nabiki, she's 17. Your twin sister's name is Akane and well obviously she's you're age."
"Who is older, me or Akane?" Kari's eyes shifted from the floor to her Mom.
"You're older by three minutes."
Kari just sat there. This was still all too fresh for her and she was thinking quickly for a way to excuse herself without upsetting Lilly more. YAWN, "I guess that run made me more tired than I thought it did. Is it all right if I head off to bed? You don't need me to do anything for you do you?"
"No, no I'll be fine. You get some rest. I'll make you breakfast tomorrow and we'll talk some more." Kari cringed thinking about the burnt food from earlier.
"Sure Mom, umm I'll see you in the morning."
Kari padded down the hall to her room stopping by the bathroom on the way there. "I stink, I guess I'll wash up before I go to bed."
Kari flipped on the light to reveal the light blue walls and the rubber ducky shower curtain. Kari tossed her dirty clothes in the hamper and turned on the hot water. She stood there with the cold water running over her head trying to wash all the bad feelings away. She had never been betrayed like this and it was taking its toll on her.
Kari grabbed a heavy blue towel and carelessly wrapped it around herself and headed to her bedroom. "I just hope I can get some sleep." She glanced over at her clock. It was already well past midnight and Kari still had school to go to the next day.
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Akane was sitting at her desk finishing her lunch and talking to her friends.
"Akane? Earth to Akane." Yuka noticed Akane had not been paying attention and started to worry about the girl.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night. I'm still tired." Akane glanced over to Ranma who was stuffing his face and laughing with his friends.
Sayuri smiled " So did you and Ranma have a rough night last night?" The two girls giggled at Akane who blushed furiously.
"Me and that pervert? I don't think so." Akane trying in vain to control the shades of red washing over her face avoided eye contact with the two girls.
"Come on Akane, you can tell us. What did you and Ranma do?" Both girls staring at Akane who was getting angry and ready to release her wrath, they should have been backing up at this point but didn't.
"RANMA AND I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING LAST NIGHT NOW WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP ABOUT IT!" Akane just realizing that she screamed that at the two girls turned her head to see the whole class including Ranma staring at her.
Ranma glared at the girl. "As if I'd want anything to do with that un-cute tomboy."
"No one asked you Ranma." Akane shot back.
"You're the one yelling about it." Ranma looking back to his food trying to concentrate on things other than the macho Akane but failing miserably. As much as he didn't want to admit it he worried about Akane when she was upset and that walk to school this morning made him wonder just what she was worried about. Of course, he would never admit that to her.
Akane turned back to her friends and brooded over the events just past. "Akane, do you want to go shopping with us after school? There is a new shop and Yuka and I were going to stop by there."
Akane looked down to her desk remembering the look on her Father's face this morning. "I better not. I have things I have to get done at the house today."
Yuka and Sayuri did not press the issue, they knew better than to pester Akane after an outburst having to do with Ranma.
Akane kept thinking about her Father and how sad he looked. The last time she saw his eyes look like that was when they went to visit her Mother's grave. She looked at the calendar; the anniversary of her death was months away. "I wonder what was wrong with Father. He has been in such a good mood lately with Mr. Saotome around."
Lunch period ended and the rest of the day passed quickly considering Akane could not keep her mind on the lessons. The final bell came and Akane put her books into her bag and headed out of the classroom. Ranma stopped her outside the door. "Akane, are you ok you seemed really distant for the last part of class and well I was worried."
"Huh? Oh I'm sorry Ranma, I was just thinking about some stuff."
"Oh?" Ranma couldn't help but notice that Akane was acting nothing like herself. "She said she was sorry. Akane would have pounded me for calling her a macho chick earlier. Something has to be wrong." He thought.
Akane started walking down the hall and Ranma quickly followed. "So do you want to talk about it? Is there something I did to make you mad again, for no reason."
"Ranma, why do you think everything has to be about you? If you really must know I'm worried about my Father. He didn't look so good this morning and well it has me worried. I haven't seen him look that bad since my Mother's last anniversary of her death."
"Oh" Ranma felt ashamed, he didn't know how to react to things like this. Ranma never lost a parent to death though he might as well have being his Dad took him away from her.
Ranma quietly walked behind Akane all the way home. He kept trying to think of something to say but kept coming up blank. They arrived at the gate of the Tendo residence and entered finding Soun sweeping the front path. "Hello Father" said Akane. "Are you feeling better?"
Soun looked up, a little shocked to see Akane there. He lost all track of time lost in thought. "Oh yes, I'm just fine Akane, you need not worry yourself with little things like this."
His eyes looked red and slightly puffy as if he had been crying. Akane kept looking at him as she walked the rest of the way towards the house. Ranma had already dumped his shoes at their normal resting place and ran inside to see if he could grab a quick snack before dinner. Akane slid off her shoes and called out. "I'm home!"
"Oh Akane, how was school?" Kasumi was her cheerful self and it reassured Akane a little that Father must be ok if Kasumi isn't visibly worried about it.
"School was ok. I think I'm going to get some practice in before dinner. That is unless you want any help in the kitchen." Ranma looked over to Akane and fear rushed over his face.
"No, that's fine Akane you can go practice."
Ranma exhaled sharply relieved that he would have a meal without the threat of death.
Akane lost herself in her workout forgetting for a short while about her Father's current mood. Kasumi came out to the dojo to tell Akane that dinner was almost ready and that she should wash up. "Akane, are you alright? I've been calling you for the last five minutes from the door and you haven't answered."
"Huh? Oh I'm fine Kasumi, I just have a lot on my mind with school and all." Akane avoided Kasumi's eyes; she would know there was something more going on than just school.
"Akane I know you are worried about Father, I am too but we must trust that he is fine when he tells us that there is nothing wrong. Whatever is bothering him he can take care deal with it. You have to have trust in your Father."
Kasumi turned around and headed back towards the house. Akane thought about what Kasumi just said. "She's right, Father can take care of himself if he needed help he'd let us know."
Akane headed into the house and headed for the bath. Lost in thought Akane undressed, and entered the interior of the bathroom. She sat on the small stool and started to wash up. "Father really would tell us if something was wrong wouldn't he?"
Akane got into the tub and tried to soak out the thoughts in the very hot water. She started drifting off into her thoughts.
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Kari woke up and glanced at the clock. "Great, 6AM. I thought I'd be able to get a little more sleep than that. I might as well get up and make breakfast before Mom can get a chance to burn the house down."
Kari swung her legs off her bed and slipped her feet into her fuzzy bear feet slippers. She would have to remember to bring these with her when she leaves for Japan. Kari walked down the stairs and headed for the kitchen. The box from last night was still there. She picked up the pictures, the two babies and the picture of her Mom and well her real Mom. "I guess this wasn't a bad dream." She let out a deep sigh.
She opened the refrigerator and took out some eggs and milk. She set them on the counter and started to look for a bowl and pan. Kari grumbled to herself. "Not only can my Mom not cook but she doesn't even put things in logical places. Why would she put the mixing bowls under the stove and the pans in the cabinet?"
After retrieving the items she needed she looked at them sitting there. "I'm missing something, oh yeah the bread. I can't make French toast without bread."
Kari started mixing and dipping the pieces of bread into the egg mixture. The frying pan was on the stove and was ready. Piece after piece Kari's mind wandered to what was going to happen when she got to Japan. "Are they going to hate me? Will they even want to know me?"
Kari failed to notice she had gone through a whole loaf of bread and the French toast was now piled very high on the plate. She looked at the plate and smacked her forehead. "What am I doing?"
Lilly woke to the smell of something delicious cooking and headed for the kitchen. She had such poor cooking skills that she never passed up an opportunity to eat Kari's cooking. She didn't fully remember the events of the night before until she walked into the kitchen and saw the box on the table and the two photographs propped up against it.
"Kari, I was going to cook you breakfast." She wasn't really upset but she wanted to stay off the subject of last night, if only for right now.
"Yeah, I know you wanted to cook but I woke up so early and I was really hungry" Kari pointed to the obscenely enormous stack of French toast.
Lilly looked at what Kari was pointing to and laughed. "Are you going to eat all of those on your own or are you up to sharing them?"
Kari pondered for a minute. "Well I AM really hungry, I think I could finish off this stack." She winked at her Mom and put a healthy sized stack on another plate and gave some to her Mom.
Kari took a few for herself leaving a lot more sitting on a plate on the counter. They sat and ate in silence. It was almost painful.
"Here is that paper for you to sign." Kari pushed the paper needing Lilly's signature for Kari to take part in the exchange program.
Lilly picked up the pen. "I wish you would let me at least call your Father and tell him that you are going to be in Japan."
Kari glared at her Mother. "I already told you I want nothing to do with him. I'm still not over this and I'm still a little angry at you too."
Lilly winced at Kari's words. Would Kari ever forgive her? Lilly took the pen and signed the paper. "Kari, I know you are still angry with me. I know it will take time for you to forgive me but please at least give your Father a chance to tell you he is sorry."
"I can't do that right now. I just want to meet my sisters and try and figure out who I really am."
Kari shoved a huge bite of food into her mouth. She snatched the signed paper and headed to her room. Lilly just sat there, pushing food around on her plate no longer hungry. She needed to get Kari to see that she was really sorry and she would do anything to make it up to her.
Kari opened her closet and started riffling through things. "ARGGH! Why is it that I have so much clothing yet I never have anything to wear?" She walked over to her desk and opened a drawer. Inside was a little box. She opened the box and pulled out an envelope inside it. "Forty dollars, that's all I have left from my savings."
Kari sighed. Usually clothing issues didn't bother her but she was trying to get her mind off her problems by thinking about other things.
Lilly finished cleaning up from breakfast and looked at the clock. "I should go talk to Kari before she heads off to school."
Lilly climbed the stairs and approached Kari's door. She lightly knocked and waited for a response. "Yeah?"
"Kari, can I come in?"
"I guess."
Lilly entered the room; there were clothes all over the place and Kari sitting in the middle of her bed. "Clothing problems?" Asked Lilly.
"Yeah." Kari didn't know what to say to her Mom. They were usually very close but Kari felt they were miles apart now.
"How about we skip school and work and go shopping for your trip?" Lilly was grabbing at anything to get her daughter to talk to her.
Kari thought about it. She didn't have to turn in the form until next week and she really was in no shape to face her friends and explain what was going on. "Sure."
Lilly was shocked but she smiled through it. "I'll go call school and work and let them know we won't be going in today."
Kari looked at her Mom trying to only remember her as just that. Her Mom. She couldn't hate her; after all she raised Kari and took very good care of her. She felt slightly guilty for some of the things she had said last night. "I'll set things right before I leave."
Kari tossed on some loose jeans and a baggy t-shirt that had seen better days. She would normally throw out clothes that worn but there was something about this shirt that made her feel safe. The green fabric was extremely soft to the touch and the collar was worn in places with tiny holes along the edge.
Kari thought about the shirt. She had good times with it, just like her mom. She couldn't just toss away the years she spent with her Mom just because things were different now.
Lilly called from the stairs. "Come on Kari, I'll pull the car out of the garage and wait out front for you." "OK" Replied Kari.
She ran down the stairs and stopped in the kitchen. The French toast had been cleaned up but the two photographs were still propped against the box. "I wonder if any of them have any idea that I even exist?"
With that thought Kari headed out the front door locking it behind her. She jumped into the front passenger seat and looked at Lilly. "You know, maybe you could let ME drive today. You know, as sort of a peace offering." She nudged her Mom to let her know she was joking and off the two went.
Kari slowly opened the front door; all of the lights downstairs were off. She could hear Lilly crying upstairs. Kari inhaled sharply thinking to herself that she should do something. She climbed the stairs and stood in front of her Mom's door, not wanting to knock but needing to make sure she was ok. Sure she lied to Kari but Lilly was all she knew.
"Mom?" Kari pushed the door open slightly.
Lilly quickly tried to regain composure. "Kari? You're still talking to me?"
"I've had a little time to think about this. I'm still very angry but I know you love me and you're all I know. I guess it's better to have some sort of Mom than no Mom at all."
Lilly reached for Kari's hand. "Kari, honestly I never meant for all this to happen."
"Do you know anything about my sisters?"
"I know their names and ages. Your oldest sister is names Kasumi; she would be 19 by now. Next is Nabiki, she's 17. Your twin sister's name is Akane and well obviously she's you're age."
"Who is older, me or Akane?" Kari's eyes shifted from the floor to her Mom.
"You're older by three minutes."
Kari just sat there. This was still all too fresh for her and she was thinking quickly for a way to excuse herself without upsetting Lilly more. YAWN, "I guess that run made me more tired than I thought it did. Is it all right if I head off to bed? You don't need me to do anything for you do you?"
"No, no I'll be fine. You get some rest. I'll make you breakfast tomorrow and we'll talk some more." Kari cringed thinking about the burnt food from earlier.
"Sure Mom, umm I'll see you in the morning."
Kari padded down the hall to her room stopping by the bathroom on the way there. "I stink, I guess I'll wash up before I go to bed."
Kari flipped on the light to reveal the light blue walls and the rubber ducky shower curtain. Kari tossed her dirty clothes in the hamper and turned on the hot water. She stood there with the cold water running over her head trying to wash all the bad feelings away. She had never been betrayed like this and it was taking its toll on her.
Kari grabbed a heavy blue towel and carelessly wrapped it around herself and headed to her bedroom. "I just hope I can get some sleep." She glanced over at her clock. It was already well past midnight and Kari still had school to go to the next day.
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Akane was sitting at her desk finishing her lunch and talking to her friends.
"Akane? Earth to Akane." Yuka noticed Akane had not been paying attention and started to worry about the girl.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night. I'm still tired." Akane glanced over to Ranma who was stuffing his face and laughing with his friends.
Sayuri smiled " So did you and Ranma have a rough night last night?" The two girls giggled at Akane who blushed furiously.
"Me and that pervert? I don't think so." Akane trying in vain to control the shades of red washing over her face avoided eye contact with the two girls.
"Come on Akane, you can tell us. What did you and Ranma do?" Both girls staring at Akane who was getting angry and ready to release her wrath, they should have been backing up at this point but didn't.
"RANMA AND I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING LAST NIGHT NOW WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP ABOUT IT!" Akane just realizing that she screamed that at the two girls turned her head to see the whole class including Ranma staring at her.
Ranma glared at the girl. "As if I'd want anything to do with that un-cute tomboy."
"No one asked you Ranma." Akane shot back.
"You're the one yelling about it." Ranma looking back to his food trying to concentrate on things other than the macho Akane but failing miserably. As much as he didn't want to admit it he worried about Akane when she was upset and that walk to school this morning made him wonder just what she was worried about. Of course, he would never admit that to her.
Akane turned back to her friends and brooded over the events just past. "Akane, do you want to go shopping with us after school? There is a new shop and Yuka and I were going to stop by there."
Akane looked down to her desk remembering the look on her Father's face this morning. "I better not. I have things I have to get done at the house today."
Yuka and Sayuri did not press the issue, they knew better than to pester Akane after an outburst having to do with Ranma.
Akane kept thinking about her Father and how sad he looked. The last time she saw his eyes look like that was when they went to visit her Mother's grave. She looked at the calendar; the anniversary of her death was months away. "I wonder what was wrong with Father. He has been in such a good mood lately with Mr. Saotome around."
Lunch period ended and the rest of the day passed quickly considering Akane could not keep her mind on the lessons. The final bell came and Akane put her books into her bag and headed out of the classroom. Ranma stopped her outside the door. "Akane, are you ok you seemed really distant for the last part of class and well I was worried."
"Huh? Oh I'm sorry Ranma, I was just thinking about some stuff."
"Oh?" Ranma couldn't help but notice that Akane was acting nothing like herself. "She said she was sorry. Akane would have pounded me for calling her a macho chick earlier. Something has to be wrong." He thought.
Akane started walking down the hall and Ranma quickly followed. "So do you want to talk about it? Is there something I did to make you mad again, for no reason."
"Ranma, why do you think everything has to be about you? If you really must know I'm worried about my Father. He didn't look so good this morning and well it has me worried. I haven't seen him look that bad since my Mother's last anniversary of her death."
"Oh" Ranma felt ashamed, he didn't know how to react to things like this. Ranma never lost a parent to death though he might as well have being his Dad took him away from her.
Ranma quietly walked behind Akane all the way home. He kept trying to think of something to say but kept coming up blank. They arrived at the gate of the Tendo residence and entered finding Soun sweeping the front path. "Hello Father" said Akane. "Are you feeling better?"
Soun looked up, a little shocked to see Akane there. He lost all track of time lost in thought. "Oh yes, I'm just fine Akane, you need not worry yourself with little things like this."
His eyes looked red and slightly puffy as if he had been crying. Akane kept looking at him as she walked the rest of the way towards the house. Ranma had already dumped his shoes at their normal resting place and ran inside to see if he could grab a quick snack before dinner. Akane slid off her shoes and called out. "I'm home!"
"Oh Akane, how was school?" Kasumi was her cheerful self and it reassured Akane a little that Father must be ok if Kasumi isn't visibly worried about it.
"School was ok. I think I'm going to get some practice in before dinner. That is unless you want any help in the kitchen." Ranma looked over to Akane and fear rushed over his face.
"No, that's fine Akane you can go practice."
Ranma exhaled sharply relieved that he would have a meal without the threat of death.
Akane lost herself in her workout forgetting for a short while about her Father's current mood. Kasumi came out to the dojo to tell Akane that dinner was almost ready and that she should wash up. "Akane, are you alright? I've been calling you for the last five minutes from the door and you haven't answered."
"Huh? Oh I'm fine Kasumi, I just have a lot on my mind with school and all." Akane avoided Kasumi's eyes; she would know there was something more going on than just school.
"Akane I know you are worried about Father, I am too but we must trust that he is fine when he tells us that there is nothing wrong. Whatever is bothering him he can take care deal with it. You have to have trust in your Father."
Kasumi turned around and headed back towards the house. Akane thought about what Kasumi just said. "She's right, Father can take care of himself if he needed help he'd let us know."
Akane headed into the house and headed for the bath. Lost in thought Akane undressed, and entered the interior of the bathroom. She sat on the small stool and started to wash up. "Father really would tell us if something was wrong wouldn't he?"
Akane got into the tub and tried to soak out the thoughts in the very hot water. She started drifting off into her thoughts.
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Kari woke up and glanced at the clock. "Great, 6AM. I thought I'd be able to get a little more sleep than that. I might as well get up and make breakfast before Mom can get a chance to burn the house down."
Kari swung her legs off her bed and slipped her feet into her fuzzy bear feet slippers. She would have to remember to bring these with her when she leaves for Japan. Kari walked down the stairs and headed for the kitchen. The box from last night was still there. She picked up the pictures, the two babies and the picture of her Mom and well her real Mom. "I guess this wasn't a bad dream." She let out a deep sigh.
She opened the refrigerator and took out some eggs and milk. She set them on the counter and started to look for a bowl and pan. Kari grumbled to herself. "Not only can my Mom not cook but she doesn't even put things in logical places. Why would she put the mixing bowls under the stove and the pans in the cabinet?"
After retrieving the items she needed she looked at them sitting there. "I'm missing something, oh yeah the bread. I can't make French toast without bread."
Kari started mixing and dipping the pieces of bread into the egg mixture. The frying pan was on the stove and was ready. Piece after piece Kari's mind wandered to what was going to happen when she got to Japan. "Are they going to hate me? Will they even want to know me?"
Kari failed to notice she had gone through a whole loaf of bread and the French toast was now piled very high on the plate. She looked at the plate and smacked her forehead. "What am I doing?"
Lilly woke to the smell of something delicious cooking and headed for the kitchen. She had such poor cooking skills that she never passed up an opportunity to eat Kari's cooking. She didn't fully remember the events of the night before until she walked into the kitchen and saw the box on the table and the two photographs propped up against it.
"Kari, I was going to cook you breakfast." She wasn't really upset but she wanted to stay off the subject of last night, if only for right now.
"Yeah, I know you wanted to cook but I woke up so early and I was really hungry" Kari pointed to the obscenely enormous stack of French toast.
Lilly looked at what Kari was pointing to and laughed. "Are you going to eat all of those on your own or are you up to sharing them?"
Kari pondered for a minute. "Well I AM really hungry, I think I could finish off this stack." She winked at her Mom and put a healthy sized stack on another plate and gave some to her Mom.
Kari took a few for herself leaving a lot more sitting on a plate on the counter. They sat and ate in silence. It was almost painful.
"Here is that paper for you to sign." Kari pushed the paper needing Lilly's signature for Kari to take part in the exchange program.
Lilly picked up the pen. "I wish you would let me at least call your Father and tell him that you are going to be in Japan."
Kari glared at her Mother. "I already told you I want nothing to do with him. I'm still not over this and I'm still a little angry at you too."
Lilly winced at Kari's words. Would Kari ever forgive her? Lilly took the pen and signed the paper. "Kari, I know you are still angry with me. I know it will take time for you to forgive me but please at least give your Father a chance to tell you he is sorry."
"I can't do that right now. I just want to meet my sisters and try and figure out who I really am."
Kari shoved a huge bite of food into her mouth. She snatched the signed paper and headed to her room. Lilly just sat there, pushing food around on her plate no longer hungry. She needed to get Kari to see that she was really sorry and she would do anything to make it up to her.
Kari opened her closet and started riffling through things. "ARGGH! Why is it that I have so much clothing yet I never have anything to wear?" She walked over to her desk and opened a drawer. Inside was a little box. She opened the box and pulled out an envelope inside it. "Forty dollars, that's all I have left from my savings."
Kari sighed. Usually clothing issues didn't bother her but she was trying to get her mind off her problems by thinking about other things.
Lilly finished cleaning up from breakfast and looked at the clock. "I should go talk to Kari before she heads off to school."
Lilly climbed the stairs and approached Kari's door. She lightly knocked and waited for a response. "Yeah?"
"Kari, can I come in?"
"I guess."
Lilly entered the room; there were clothes all over the place and Kari sitting in the middle of her bed. "Clothing problems?" Asked Lilly.
"Yeah." Kari didn't know what to say to her Mom. They were usually very close but Kari felt they were miles apart now.
"How about we skip school and work and go shopping for your trip?" Lilly was grabbing at anything to get her daughter to talk to her.
Kari thought about it. She didn't have to turn in the form until next week and she really was in no shape to face her friends and explain what was going on. "Sure."
Lilly was shocked but she smiled through it. "I'll go call school and work and let them know we won't be going in today."
Kari looked at her Mom trying to only remember her as just that. Her Mom. She couldn't hate her; after all she raised Kari and took very good care of her. She felt slightly guilty for some of the things she had said last night. "I'll set things right before I leave."
Kari tossed on some loose jeans and a baggy t-shirt that had seen better days. She would normally throw out clothes that worn but there was something about this shirt that made her feel safe. The green fabric was extremely soft to the touch and the collar was worn in places with tiny holes along the edge.
Kari thought about the shirt. She had good times with it, just like her mom. She couldn't just toss away the years she spent with her Mom just because things were different now.
Lilly called from the stairs. "Come on Kari, I'll pull the car out of the garage and wait out front for you." "OK" Replied Kari.
She ran down the stairs and stopped in the kitchen. The French toast had been cleaned up but the two photographs were still propped against the box. "I wonder if any of them have any idea that I even exist?"
With that thought Kari headed out the front door locking it behind her. She jumped into the front passenger seat and looked at Lilly. "You know, maybe you could let ME drive today. You know, as sort of a peace offering." She nudged her Mom to let her know she was joking and off the two went.